POL00098774 - Email from Paula Vennells to Susan Crichton re Second Sight Investigation - Update

Evidence on official site

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Message

From: PaulaVennellsi sss >, :

on behalf of Paula Vennellsi_ — GRO st

Sent: 27/06/2013 14

To: Susan Crichton:

Subject: Fwd: Second Sight Investigation - Update

Attachments: image010.jpg; image003.png; image004.png; image005.png; image006.png; image007.gif; image008.gif;

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FYI. I hope the holiday apart from this is good :)
Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: Rodric Williams I
Date: 27 June 2013 1:
To: Paula Vennells
Cc: Hugh Flemington i
Subject: Second Sight Investigation - Update

Paula —here is a summary of our discussion on the Horizon investigation, with some additional points on
criminal prosecutions.

1. <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]--> Horizon Generally

Over the past ten years:
- _ <!+[if supportLists]--><![endif]-->many millions of branch reconciliations;

if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->carried out by 25,000 subpostmasters and their staff in Post
Office branches;

-  <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->transactions and balances accurately recorded;

i.e. if there was a systemic problem, we would have seen it replicated on a widespread basis.
Where we have identified “bugs” in Horizon, we have shared these with Second Sight.

2. <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->Scope of Second Sight Review

“To identify, consider and advise on whether there are any systemic issues and/or concerns with the
‘Horizon’ system, including training and support processes, giving evidence and reasons.”

e  <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->Scope DOES NOT extend to considering any individual criminal
prosecution or conviction;

e = <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->Second Sight are not expert in or qualified to comment upon
criminal prosecution process or procedures;

e  <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->Second Sight have not identified for Post Office Limited any
issue with Horizon which Second Sight says was directly responsible for a criminal conviction.

3. <!--[if lsupportLists]--><![endif]-->Issues Reviewed
¢  <!--[if lsupportLists]--><![endif]-->10 issues raised by Second Sight;

e  <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->In each case, we have been able to demonstrate (with
supporting documentation) that Horizon acted as designed;

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e  <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->Second Sight seem to be saying that because Horizon has
“bugs”, it is not safe for Post Office to rely upon the data it produces, e.g. in a criminal case to
show branch shortfalls. This is a significant and unhelpful assumption to make.

4. <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->Criminal Prosecutions

e  <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->No cases since at least separation have seen convictions
secured on Horizon-based evidence alone, e.g. there has also been a paper trail, money in bank
account, confession, and/or lies at interview exposed.

e = <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->Again, since separation every time the defendant has alleged
a specific issue with Horizon, we have been able to refute this to the Court’s satisfaction.

e  <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->If a person feels their conviction is unsafe, they need to
produce new evidence and get the Court’s permission to appeal.

e  <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->A sound bite from a Second Sight report is unlikely to be
sufficient.

e  <!--[if !supportLists]--><![endif]-->If we found a problem which contributed to a conviction, we
would be under a duty to raise this with the Court.

Please let me know of you need anything further.
Kind regards, Rodric

Rodric Williams I Litigation Lawyer

148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V 9HQ

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