Can Someone Explain To Me..........

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56718036
...OK the IT system was a shilo pit and got it wrong but surely all you do is run all the transactions outside the system and demonstrate the arithmetic is wrong. If it was me getting accused I'd go through every transaction and verify the provenance and the arithmetic. No way I'd believe the system, so how come so many were prosecuted? Sure it would be simple enough to show the system was flawed?

[bednobs]

Thanks jim

[jno]

I do find it a little bizarre that the chief exec all this time was an Anglican minister. Bearing in mind the antics of the Crystal Methodist in charge of the Co-Op Bank, there's probably a moral in there somewhere.

[New Judge]

//All convictions, including of those who pled guilty (whether to a lesser offence or not), have been quashed...//

Thanks, Jim. I haven't read the full ins and outs yet. That seems perfectly just to me. Heads need to roll for this affair to be concluded properly.

[bednobs]

no no judge, inmodern parlance "lessons need to be learned". Boke.

[jno]

the Rev Paula Vennells has already quit, £5m in her purse; doubtless assistant heads will roll.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/apr/23/post-office-aggressive-pursuit-of-staff-ex-boss-paula-vennells

[KARL]

NJ, 12.30: "There was far too much acceptance and defence of the system's integrity....." this is a cultural phenomenon and the description fits lots of situations throughout the country/society. Deference among the public is a corollary, and is also widespread - questioning is in short supply within "systems" and society as a whole and, when reality fails to fit what is expected/hoped for, the messenger tends to be shot. As pointed out, the CPS should have allowed questions to be raised if they couldn't think of them themselves.

[Bazile]

STS
Shocking Truly Shocking

[Peter Pedant]

there are a few points raised that I wondered about
Parallel paper records - but presumably they were arrested before they cd er insure themselves

I was assisting a colleague where exculpatory evidence was shredded. and the judge screamed so what - it makes it easier to convict !
( facts have been changed etc) - it takes the edge off confidence in the legal system. hut good news - one of the lawyers ( let us call him a shredder) is now a recorder in a neighbouring city

so er justice prevails in the end ....

[Peter Pedant]

// But when large numbers did likewise they had a duty to investigate properly.//

erm yeah but no but

In the 'pule, the council fired ALL the staff taking the money for the Mersey tunnel and the next month the income went up 67%

and all they said - was they knew they were skimming but hadnt realised that it was that much

[tomus42]

The post office must have known, or at least had strong suspicions that software was to blame for this, but they chose to throw people under the bus and let them be prosecuted.

Presumably this was an easier option for them than admitting their system was carp.

The relevant management should be held responsible.