Secret email about the Post Office Scandal. Shh!

Horizon trial: Sterling Works

As promised – I’ve finally done me accounts!

You can find all the grubby incriminating details here.

I think I’ve said everything I need to say in the blog post itself, so please click on it if you want to see how your hard-earned moolah has been spent.

Other things 1: Techy talk

Tim McCormack, a former Subpostmaster and occasional contributor to his blog, has had a pop at fisking the evidence of Tim Parker, a Fujitsu techy sort who was cross-examined on Day 12 of the Horizon trial last week. Tim knows a lot more about IT than I do, and his thoughts on the significance of Mr Parker’s evidence are worth reading if you like getting into the detail of things.

Other things 2: Government (lack of) response

The redoubtable Karl Flinders from Computer Weekly has written up some of the written questions MPs are making in parliament. Some have wondered if there’s a conflict of interest in Sir Tim Parker being Chairman of the Post Office and Chairman of the HM Courts & Tribunals Service – given one organisation is responsible for the speedy resolution of justice and one is trying to drag out a long-running litigation to its best advantage for as long as possible. Read his piece here to find out what the government thinks.

On a governmental matter, does anyone know the Postal Services minister Kelly Tolhurst personally, or know anyone know who might know her personally? If you do – or you know someone who might do – please reply to this email and let me know.

Other things 3: How much did the recusal application cost the taxpayer?

If anyone wants to attend court on 23 May, you will find out. There is a half day hearing listed that day to sort it out. Sadly I’m in Stuttgart that day so I can’t, but I’ll let my journalist friends know and maybe one or two will be able to go along.

Other things 4: Social media

Freeths’ latest circular (kindly forwarded to me by a secret emailer) has a warning about the use of social media:

“We understand that some of you are keeping up to date with press coverage of the Group Litigation, including Nick Wallis’ updates on Twitter. Please be mindful of what you post yourselves on Twitter and on other social media (personal or public) as Post Office or the Court might see this. Any correspondence received from Freeths is legally privileged and must be kept confidential between the Claimants and Freeths and should not be referred to on social media. Please contact Freeths if you have any questions.”

This is very sound advice. I once got tipped off about a story which was percolating around a facebook group. Once of the facebook group admins let me join their group and I put a post up saying who I was and what I was interesting in hearing about. I made it clear that any respondent should NOT just reply to my post as it would be public. Sadly some respondents did not listen and just posted their grievances directly to the group. The company they had a grievance about got wind of this and sent legal letters to the respondents demanding an apology and costs.

If you have anything to tell me – use email or private messages that other people can’t see. Closed facebook groups are not closed, they are open to a lot of people you can’t see. Twitter is publishing to the world.

I am discreet and know how to handle information to your best advantage. If you want to get something into the public domain, contact a friendly journalist. Don’t put it on social media.

Right that’s me for now – I’ll be back in touch next time I have an update – probably something to do with sorting out the Horizon trial menu links or getting up some more personal testimony. There is one story I am very keen to get out which I really think could shake things up, but there are sensitivities around it which I still haven’t had the time to navigate.

Soon, I hope.

All the best

Nick


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