Wednesday’s listening to marked the primary time Ms Vennells has given proof in regards to the Horizon scandal for nearly 10 years.
She was chief government of the Put up Workplace from 2012 to 2019, a time frame when sub-postmasters have been nonetheless being prosecuted, however the organisation continued to disclaim faults with the Horizon IT software program was guilty for shortfalls in accounts.
This was regardless of mounting proof of wrongful convictions.
Earlier than lead counsel Jason Beer launched into the questioning, Ms Vennells turned to the individuals within the room and apologised.
“I might similar to to say, and I am grateful for the chance to have the ability to do that in individual, how sorry I’m for all that sub-postmasters and their households and others have suffered because of the entire issues that the inquiry has been trying into for therefore lengthy,” she stated.
She stated she was “very affected” by the human affect statements given by these affected by the scandal.
Between 1999 and 2015, lots of of sub-postmasters have been wrongly prosecuted after defective Horizon software program made it seem like cash was lacking from Put up Workplace department accounts.
Some have been despatched to jail and lots of suffered monetary hardship. Some have since died.
On Wednesday Ms Vennells supplied to go and stand with one sub-postmaster outdoors his previous Put up Workplace to listen to his story.
“I’m very, very sorry,” she stated.
Her second apology to campaigner Alan Bates, to forensic accountants Second Sight who have been sacked by the Put up Workplace after discovering bugs in Horizon, and to Lord Arbuthnot, who has additionally campaigned on the behalf of sub-postmasters.
Ms Vennells additionally apologised “about at this time”, saying: “I’ll reply the questions honestly, and I am very conscious that they are going to be tough to take heed to for you and for me, and I ask your understanding prematurely for that.”
Jason Beer, lead counsel for the inquiry, requested the previous Put up Workplace boss if she thought she had been the “unluckiest” chief government within the UK on condition that, in accordance with her witness statements, she wasn’t given details about Horizon, did not see sure paperwork, and had been given assurances in regards to the IT system by Put up Workplace workers.
“I used to be given a lot data, and because the inquiry has heard, there was data that I wasn’t given, and others did not obtain,” she stated.
She added that she had been “too trusting” and that she was “disillusioned” the place data hadn’t been shared.
