Paula Vennells breaks down in tears mid-evidence at Horizon IT inquiry

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. She told the probe an email she sent to colleagues which suggested the company’s priority was to protect subpostmasters for whom the Horizon system was working, “reads badly today”. She was given a self-incrimination warning by chairman Sir Wyn Williams at the start of her evidence, but told him: “Thank you, Sir Wyn… I plan to answer all questions.” I have no sense that there was any conspiracy at all Former Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells After detailing a number of cases in which the Post Office had not been successful after subpostmasters blamed Horizon, counsel to the inquiry Jason Beer KC asked: “Why were you telling these parliamentarians that every prosecution involving the Horizon system had been successful and had found in favour of the Post Office?” After a short pause in which she appeared to compose herself, Ms Vennells said: “I fully accept now that the Post Office…” She broke off her answer to grab a tissue and held her head in her hands for a brief moment before recomposing herself. “I had been told, and the inquiry has heard other people say the same, that nothing had been found and so my understanding at this time was that the way the business was operating was an acceptable way, and what I was trying to say here is that we needed to make sure that the business as it was operating remained a priority for us.” Asked about what Mr Cameron told the inquiry previously – that Ms Vennells did not believe there had been any miscarriages of justice during her tenure – Ms Vennells said: “I think that’s right.” Mr Beer also asked if she believed there was a “conspiracy at the Post Office… to deny you information and to deny you documents and to falsely give you reassurance”. You have experts to report to you.” As his first major question to Ms Vennells, Mr Beer said: “Do you think you are the unluckiest CEO in the United Kingdom?” Ms Vennells replied: “As the inquiry has heard, there was information I wasn’t given and others didn’t receive as well.