I hope I am wrong.
I would love for you to be wrong but sadly I doubt it.
I think there is a possibility of one or two people getting prosecuted for perjury (the ones the judge at the initial acquittal trial asked the cps to investigate because their evidence in the "successful" trials was rather dubious to say the least) but beyond that I dont think our laws were written to handle this sort of scenario and hence, unfortunately, they will go free.
Compensation will go some way to redress the losses that were financially made, maybe even go further if the scheme is compensating for the pain and suffering.
It won't bring back the years of (prime of) life for some of them, having a chunk of cash now you are too old to enjoy it, or that your kids could have enjoyed while growing up, etc, isn't a huge compensation. And it won't bring Martin Griffiths back to his family.
It also won't repair the hurt of a being a community postmaster that was ostracised by their community and friends because - well, the legal system can't get ti wrong, can it? Having to leave your village or town, or having people that were your friends cross the raod to avoid you or talk behind your back.
If there's no actual legal ramifications for the Vennells, Van den Bogerds, etc., of this world then am I saying I hope they step in front of a bus, of course not. Do I hope that every gathering they go to, even their own family gatherings, people know what they did and cold shoulder them in the same way the postmasters were. Could I treat a friend the same after they've done this, I don't think so.
I dont think our laws were written to handle this sort of scenario
I think there’s plenty of legislation that covers what we are all sure happened: https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/public-justice-offences-incorporating-charging-standard
the difficult part might be getting smoking gun evidence that ties it to the controlling minds. I dare say if vennels was to be brought in front of a Jury that her lawyers would understandably try to argue she has no chance of a fair trial given the media coverage.
I assume the solicitors’ regulatory authority etc may also have an interest in the various professionals who have helped make a bad situation worse.
It won’t bring back the years of (prime of) life for some of them, having a chunk of cash now you are too old to enjoy it, or that your kids could have enjoyed while growing up, etc
Indeed. Jo Hamilton had 5 cleaning jobs and her husband was forced to work full time until the age of 70. I think I read that his health isn't too good. These 2 will never get their time back. They are just one of many families who have suffered. It's utterly disgraceful (I'm being polite).
I hope that we have some sort of reform within the post office as well asap. Ideally post office ltd should be disbanded and some sort of co-op or employee ownership introduced. PO ltd are the cause of the candle and has been an outdated management system of the service for decades.
As I've said before it's not just about the 900 convictions - all remaining 11,500 postoffices have been affected.
I'm hearing lots of stories of independent retailers with failed sales mid negotiation or huge devaluation of their business due to the scandal. Couples coming to retirement having shut their postoffices as they can't find a buyer etc.
monkeyboyjc - I'm not sure that its the solution you would hope for, but given the community importance of the post office I think it should probably be brought fully under government control - directly as civil servants not as a Ltd Co. They could then genuinely be one-stop-shops for all government-citizen interactions.
I see they've managed to **** up again though by listing the names and addresses of everyone convicted on their website! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd110nl7dppo
I think it should probably be brought fully under government control
It's interesting seeing the different party options on the PO with the GE coming up. All have said they'll do nothing until after the enquiry and essentially it's 'settled down' pr wise.
Personally I can't see it being run any better under civil service management. But they cirtainly need to rip up the current management structure.
I may have said this in this thread before, but over 10yrs ago I worked as a project manager for a large supermarket, I used to manage retail refurbishments and new builds. I'd direct site meetings usually as the sole rep of the supermarket, we are talking between five to seven figure sum budgets.
Post office ltd would attend site with sometimes upto 6! middle management staff all with different job titles. Their proportion of the refurbishment rarely exceeded 25k (& much of their proportion of the work our shop fitters undertook). My experience is that PO ltd has historically spent money like water on staff they don't need.
Contrast that to my experience of actually running a post office, in almost 8 years we've seen an area manager twice...... Both times things were promised, which have never happened.
Personally I can’t see it being run any better under civil service management
Oh, I'm in no doubt that it doesn't really matter what the structure is - if you allow the culture to exist then situations like this can arise. I'll bet there are plenty of government orgs, quangos, charities, private companies and public listed ones who if they were they were truly honest would see that their organisation has the same culture and approach and is just one decision away from this sort of debacle! BUT it just feels like the leadership thought they were running a commercial business rather than a public service.
Only just watched this.
If you haven’t, do.
Does anyone have any factual updates? Any comments from new ministers? Ta.
Ta! Looks like 9pm.
That’s properly heart warming.
