Archives :
IT
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The Ismay Report
This is Rod Ismay. In 2010 he wrote what has become known as the Ismay Report. It was written as an internal Post Office response to the formation of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, the questions raised by MPs about the Horizon IT system and the first journalistic investigation into the Post Office’s wild, decade-long…
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Andrew Winn: the Over-promoted Postie
I first became fascinated by the Post Office’s willingness to place loyalty and length of service over ability in 2018 at the Bates v Post Office litigation at the High Court. During the litigation’s first trial, a succession of Post Office witnesses took the stand. Some were sharp, some were the dimmest of dim bulbs,…
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EXCLUSIVE: How not to commission a complex IT project
Going around the country trying to spread the word about the Post Office Scandal (whilst also hoping to sell copies of my book) has brought me into contact with a class of bright, often retired, professional people who are appalled at what happened. Some even have direct experience of the story, usually from an interesting…
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Inquiry Phase 2: Star Witness – Dave gives it both barrels
David McDonnell, a former Deputy Development Manager on the Horizon IT project with Fujitsu/ICL gave evidence during the Horizon IT inquiry on the morning of Wed 16 November. What he had to say was devastating. In October 1998 McDonnell co-wrote a report on the Horizon EPOS system with Jan Holmes, a Fujitsu/ICL internal auditor (and…
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The ‘Shredding’ Advice
Last week I published the first Clarke advice, which was effectively a THIS ENDS HERE. NOW document written by Simon Clarke, an external barrister working on Subpostmaster prosecutions To give context to the initial advice, I have updated that post with some (hopefully) helpful links. The Shredding Advice Shortly after writing his first advice, Mr…
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Jenkins wants inquiry ‘immunity’
Gareth Jenkins, the former Fujitsu engineer who has become a person of interest to the Metropolitan Police, has demanded certain assurances from the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry before he gives evidence. Jenkins, the subject of the first Clarke Advice and a spectre at the feast during the Bates v Post Office litigation wants an…
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The first Clarke Advice
The Clarke Advice was written by the barrister Simon Clarke (above) when he worked for Cartwright King in 2013. I’m not sure it is has been published in full before, so here it is: For context as to the importance of this advice, see: What’s in the 2013 Simon Clarke document? Oral submission to support…
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Why was Horizon allowed to go live?
In my book I interview someone who was parachuted into Fujitsu [or more specifically, its subsidiary ICL Pathway] into the late 90s to try to rescue the Horizon project. He couldn’t. I called my interlocutor Clint because he didn’t want me to use his real name, and there was something steely-eyed about him. Of the…
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Tim Brentnall’s Closing Statement
Tim Brentnall ran the Roch Post Office in Pembrokeshire. He was convicted of false accounting in 2010. His conviction was quashed at the Court of Appeal on 19 July 2021. Tim gave evidence to the Post Office Horizon Inquiry on 1 March 2022. Tim’s closing statement is a powerful piece of rhetoric aimed at reminding…
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“This guy should never be let near a witness-box again”
The above photo is of Dr Robert Worden, who was an expert witness for the Post Office in the Horizon trial, which was part of the Bates v Post Office group litigation. You can read about my experience of watching Dr Worden be cross-examined here, and you can read Mr Justice Fraser’s thoughts on the…