POL00062368 - Email from Simon Baker to Gareth Jenkins, Alwen Lyons and others re: Discuss of defect in horizon in court.

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Message

From: Rodric Williams [rodric.williams?

on behalf of — Rodric Williams <rodric.williams} [rodric.williamst_ j
Sent: 12/15/2014 12:18:06 PM

To: Parsons, Andrew [andrew.parsons:

Subject: FW: Discuss of defect in horizon in court Seema Misra and Lee Castleton

Rodric williams I Litigation Lawyer Description: split
Description: address

rodric.williams,
Description: web
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Sia Original Message-----

From: Jarnail A Singh

sent: 01 July 2013 16:47

To: Hugh Flemington; Alwen Lyons; Simon Baker; Rodric williams

Cc: Lesley J Sewell

Subject: RE: Discuss of defect in horizon in court Seema Misra and Lee Castleton

In criminal trials both the prosecution and defence put their case to the jury. who make a decision
“beyond all reasonable doubt" on finding the defendant guilty ,jury do not give reasons for their
verdict and it is not possible to ask the jury the basis and details on which they made their decision.
On occasion particular point can be inferred.

This is the only criminal trial where a jury has been required to consider in detail the integrity of the
Horizon system.

1.Seema Misra was sub postmistress at West Byfleet. She was accused of stealing £74,609.84, between 2005
and 2008. On 21/10/10, after a 7 day trial, she was found guilty by the jury of the theft.

2.Mrs Misra claimed that, although she was guilty of false accounting, she had not stolen the money whose
loss she had concealed. She suggested that one possible reason why the money appeared to be missing might
be computer error. The jury heard from expert witnesses for the Crown and the Defence. Their evidence
was sufficiently detailed as to have lasted two full days. The jury’s verdict showed that it was sure
that computer error played no role in the case. There has been no appeal against conviction.

3.We instructed our own expert, Gareth Jenkins, from Fujitsu. This was a turning-point in the case.
Professor McLachlan fairly conceded that Mr Jenkins had given him very great assistance in understanding
Horizon. Mr Jenkins was able to explain to Professor McLachlan how many of his theories were not valid
and based on a misunderstanding of Horizon. Mr_Jenkins advised that the only way to assess any problems
at West Byfleet was to obtain the transaction logs and to examine them for potential problems. Obtaining
the logs was expensive and their analysis was time-consuming. However, after both experts had completed
this analysis, neither could find evidence of any computer error whatsoever that could have contributed
to the deficiency.

4.In his evidence to the jury Professor McLachlan conceded that all of the theoretical problems he had
raised were now irrelevant. He abandoned most of his theories after being assisted to a better
understanding by Mr Jenkins, Other theories he had checked against the transaction logs and had found to
be baseless. In a nutshell his final conclusion was this: he hadn't found any problem but there still
might have been a problem that he and Jenkins might have missed. The jury clearly rejected this as
wishful thinking, after considering all of the evidence in the case.

5.The most significant case reviewed was that of Lee Castleton (Civil case only). He brought a civil
action alleging deficiencies in the Horizon system. He, unlike any other Sub post master, was prepared to
be specific about some of the problems he claimed to have encountered. His claims were utterly refuted in
the written Judgment of the case. The Judgment explains in detail why Mr Castleton’s allegations were
rejected. It provides a rigorous analysis that is woefully absent from the vague and illogical
complaints about Horizon that are reported in some sections of the media. The Judgment referred briefly
to a real computer problem that had emerged at the Callender Square office in Falkirk. Gareth Jenkins
to investigate this problem. He provided a detailed summary of the problem in his witness statement(
dated 9/3/10 page 14). He also explained in that statement why he concluded that it was irrelevant to Mrs
Misra’s case

Jarnail Singh I Criminal Lawyer

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-----Original Message-----

From: Hugh Flemington

Sent: O01 July 2013 10:43

To: Alwen Lyons; Simon Baker; Rodric williams; Jarnail A Singh
Cc: Lesley J Sewell

Subject: Re: Discuss of defect in horizon in court

Jarnail - can you get castleton case details plse asap as alwen has asked for

----- Original Message -----

From: Alwen Lyons

Sent: Monday, July 01, 2013 09:40 AM
To: ‘Gareth. Jenkin:
williams

Cc: Lesley J Sewell; 'James.Davidson_
Subject: Re: Discuss of defect in hor’:

<Gareth. Jenkin:

simon Baker; Hugh Flemington; Rodric

<James Davidson

Thanks Gareth can we get the witness statement for Castleton please Hugh Thanks Alwen

Alwen Lyons
Soupany..secretary
7 _.GR i

Sent from Blackberry

conne Original Message -----

From: Jenkins Gareth GI_[mailto:Gareth. Jenkins:
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2013 09:28 AM

To: Alwen Lyons; Simon Baker _
Cc: Lesley J Sewell; Davidson James <James.Davidsoni,
Subject: RE: Discuss of defect in horizon in court

Alwen,

I understand the bug was spoken about in the Castelton case (I wasn't personally involved). It was
definitely spoken about in the Misra case where it was interrogated about it at length. Other cases
where it was mentioned were settled out of court as far as I know.

Does that clarify things?

Regards
Gareth

Gareth Jenkins

Distinguished Engineer

Business Applications Architect
Post office Account

FUJITSU
Lovelace Road, Br:
Tel: {

Mobile: .
email: Jenkin
Web: http: //uk. fuji tsi con

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-----' Original Message-----

From: Alwen Lyons [mailto:alwen. lyot
Sent: 01 July 2013 10:28

To: Jenkins Gareth GI; Simon Baker
Cc: Lesley J Sewell; Davidson James
Subject: Re: Discuss of defect in horizon in court

The question was really about whether the defect had been spoken about in open court other than in the
Misra case as it helps that it was in the public domain and not ‘covered up’ in any way

Thanks
Alwen

Alwen Lyons
Company Secretary

Sent from Blackberry

Original Message -
From: Jenkins Gareth GI_[mai]to:Gareth. Jenkinst..
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2013 09:21 AM

To: Simon Baker r
Cc: Alwen Lyons; Lesley J Sewell; Davidson James <James.Davidsor,
Subject: RE: Discuss of defect in horizon in court

simon,
I'm not aware of any other specific bugs being discussed in court (either related to Horizon or HNG-X).
The Falkirk bug was first raised in the Castleton Civil case and was then picked up on for a number of

subsequent Criminal cases even through it was irrelevant to those environments. Defence experts were
using it as an example that Horizon has had bugs

Regards

Gareth

Gareth Jenkins
Distinguished Engineer

Business Applications Architect
Post Office Account

FUJITSU

Lovelace Road, B 2.RG12 8SN

Tel: ' Interna fern RQ sowed
Mobile: i “Tho. Entkernal:

email: Gareth. Jenkin:

Web: http: //uk. fujitsu.com

Fujitsu is proud to partner with Shelter, the housing and homeless charity Reshaping ICT, Reshaping
Business in partnership with FT.com P Please consider the environment - do you really need to print this
email?

conn Original Message-----

From: Simon Baker [mailto:simon. baker,
Sent: 28 June 2013 18:50

To: Jenkins Gareth GI

Cc: Alwen Lyons; Lesley J Sewel
Subject: Discuss of defect in horizon in court

Gareth

You mention discussing the falkirk bug in the Misra case today, are there any other examples where bugs
have been discussed in court.

simon

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This email is only for the use of its intended recipient. Its contents are subject to a duty of
confidence and may be privileged. Fujitsu does not guarantee that this email has not been intercepted
and amended or that it is virus-free.

Fujitsu Services Limited, registered in England No 96056, registered office 22 Baker Street, London wiu
3BW.

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3BW.

PFU Imaging Solutions Europe Limited, registered in England No 1578652, registered office Hayes Park
Central, Hayes End Road, Hayes, Middlesex, UB4 8FE.

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