Ouch, ouch and double ouch

What happened in court today was brutal. Really brutal.

Have a read of my report here.

My collated live tweets are here.

The transcript is here and judgment number 5, which explains the thinking behind ordering the Post Office to pay 90% of the claimants’ costs is here.

I am not going to go on too much about what happened today and I didn’t speak to anyone from either side after proceedings finished to get a lawyerly perspective, but it certainly didn’t look good from where I was sitting. It’s interesting to note that Freeths took the unusual step of rushing out a circular less than two hours after the judge rose, to tell claimants:

“Claimants’ legal submissions include all the key arguments supporting the claim, which go much wider than the issues being cross-examined on by Post Office’s lawyers at this trial. The Judge also has the detailed experts’ reports which also deal with issues that go beyond Post Office’s cross-examination points.”

in bold they bellow:

“The outcome of this trial will not determine the overall winner or loser of the case, because the Judge has ordered a series of trials that collectively determine the ultimate outcome.”

And just in case anyone is not feeling totally reassured, they grab hold of your lapels as you try to walk past, sobbing:

“You’ll remember that this trial is about the potential for errors to impact branch accounts, not whether in fact that has happened in individual Claimant cases.”

Which does make you wonder why we’re having the trial in the first place, but there you go.

Don’t shoot me, I’m only the piano player

I realise that most (but not all) secret emailers have more sympathy for the claimants in this litigation over the Post Office. And I am obviously wholly aware that the emotional investment many people have in this case cuts far deeper than I could ever imagine.

To those people I would say that Patrick Green QC is just as talented as Mr de Garr Robinson QC and having witnessed his cross-examination skills during over a period of days, if there are any weaknesses in Dr Robert Worden’s approach to Horizon, Mr Green will find them, and he will relentlessly bore into them until he has the piece of information he wants.

And I will be there to report everything that happens as he does so, starting at 10.30am on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend and thanks once again for reading all of this. I am going to not think about Horizon, the Post Office or this trial for a full 72 hours. I realise I have that luxury.

Take care

Nick