POL00044685
POL00044685
Witness Statement
(CJ Act 1967, s9; MC Act 1980, ss 5A(3Xa)
and 5B, MC Rules 1981, r 70)
Statement of Colleen Jean KATES
Age if under 18 Over 18 (If over 18 insert ‘over 18’)
This statement (consisting of two pages each signed by me) is true to the best of my
knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that, if it is tendered in evidence, I shall be liable to
prosecution if I have wilfully stated in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe
true.
Datedthe 21 dayof June 2006
Signature
I have been employed as an Assistant manager at North Bransholme Post Office for 2 and a
Half years. Prior to this I was a counter clerk at Grenwich Ave Post Office for 5 months.
My usual duty times were Monday, 9am till 2pm, alternate Tuesdays, 9am till 2pm, all day
Friday and alternate Saturday mornings.
I have been off work
om January 6" 2006. I returned to North
Bransholme on Monday May 8" 2006 for 3 days to cover for Janet Skinner who was going
Away. After these days I was off on holiday, due to return on June 5"" 2006.
Whilst in charge of the office on May 8" I forgot to check the planned order of cash was due to
be delivered to the office the next day. I had to phone and order an emergency supply of
notes as we were close to running out. The planned order was mainly made up of coin.
The office has 2 stock units, AA and OOH. The OOH is only used to do the lottery transactions
and the cash transferred into AA. We were on individual stocks some time back. Myself and
Janet Skinner used AA, Theresa Holmes used BB, Katherine Ayres had CC.
We all had our own user codes and passwords. I kept my password confidential and did not
know anyone else's but could possibly guess them.
Signature Signature witnessed by
S011 (Side A) Version 3.0 11/02
POL00044685
POL00044685
Witness Statement
(CJ Act 1967, s9; MC Act 1980, ss 5A(3)(a) and 5B, MC Rules 1981, r 70)
Continuation of statement of Colleen Jean KATES
The balance for the office was completed by Janet Skinner, both ona weekly basis and
monthly when we went onto Branch Trading. This was done ona Wednesday afternoon when
the only staff in the office was Janet Skinner and her daughter Toni on work experience.
Janet Skinner returned from a Post Office seminar just before going onto branch trading. She
told myself and Theresa Holmes that there was no need to declare the cash on hand in the
office as it would not give an accurate figure until the end of the month when the balance was
done. Janet told us to print out a balance snapshot and enter the cash figure off this report as
the overnight cash holdings. I did this by spreading the total over the notes and coins and the
office would show a clear balance.
Theresa Holmes told me on the telephone that the day after the bank holiday, Tuesday 2
May, she received a phone call from the cash centre. Theresa said that they wanted her to
feturn some cash and that the cash Janet had ordered earlier in the day would not be delivered.
Theresa said she told them that there was no money in the office and she needed notes to
serve the customers.
When we had individual stock units, we all had to put the Money in to cover our own losses. At
the end of 2004 or beginning of 2005 Katherine Ayres had a loss of between £400 and £1,100.
I knew that Katherine was putting money in a bag to repay this money with whatever she
could afford to pay back each week.
When ona shared stock unit, if we had a loss, all the staff would contribute to pay the loss
back. Janet would put the money in and we would give her the cash back. When there was a
shortage, which wasn't very often, Janet would challenge us and tell us to be careful. She could
be quite angry and fiery about the losses.
I have not stolen any money from North Bransholme Post Office and I have no knowledge of
where any losses in the branch have happened.
Signature Signature witnessed by
csot1A Version 3.0 11/02