POL00099608 - Email from Susan Crichton to John Scott, Jarnail Singh and Amanda Brown re: Emailing: Cleared Tyneside sub-postmaster urges Post Office to admit error - Journal Live.htm
Evidence on official site
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Message
From: Susan Crichto:
on
behalf }
of
Sent:
To:
cc: Jarnail A Singh Amanda A Brown
Subject:RE: Emailing: Cleared Tyneside sub-postmaster urges Post Office to adi
This is the case ~ you were going to check the dates and detail why the delay in taking the case forward — Bis are now
asking for the information today.
Susan Crichton I General Counsel
“ London, ECEV HO.
GRO :
From: John M Scott
Sent: 30 August 2013 16:29
To: Susan Crichton
Cc: Jarnail A Singh; John M Scott
Subject: RE: Emailing: Cleared Tyneside sub-postmaster urges Post Office to admit error - Journal Live.htm
Susan.
lreceived the case papers for this investigation this morning and have completed a table top review from the Case File
Event Log. The investigator is on leave for this and next week, so I’m unable to validate until their return.
Usual password for Second Sight
Happy to discuss.
Regards.
John.
From: Susan Crichton
Sent: 23 August 2013 16:05
To: John M Scott
Subject: FW: Emailing: Cleared Tyneside sub-postmaster urges Post Office to admit error - Journal Live.htm
John — could you add your info to this so that I can go back to BIS with all the details.
Thanks
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Susan
From: Jarnail A Singh
Sent: 22 August 2013 14:36
To: Susan Crichton
Cc: Hugh Flemington
Subject: RE: Emailing: Cleared Tyneside sub-postmaster urges Post Office to admit error - Journal Live.htm
Susan
Here is draft response to Mike in the Thomas Brown case
1.This was a tricky investigation which suffered delay, the POL investigation officer had to enlist the
assistance of the police, who appear not to prioritise the case despite the offer of assistance by the
POL investigation officer .
I note that Counsel Simon Clarke from Cartwright King considered the delay in his Advice of 5th
January 2012 and concluded that Brown would not have been prejudiced in the preparation of his
defence given the admissions which he had made in his interview.
2.Brief Chronology in the Thomas Brown Case.
15th December 2008 - Interview
2nd August 2011 - Interview
5th January 2012 - Advice on Evidence by Simon Clarke
2nd October 2012 - First appearance at Newcastle Magistrates Court
11th December 2012 - Committal Hearing.
10th January 2013 - PCMH at Newcastle Crown Court - listed for trial 17th
June 2013. Relisted for trial 18th November 2013.
1st August 2013 - No Evidence Offered by Post Office.
3.Offence
1. Thomas George BROWN faced two charges of False Accounting, alleging that
between the 29th February 2008 and the 25th November 2008 (charge 1) and between
the 20th November 2008 and the 25th November 2008 (charge 2) he made false entries
into Horizon so as to conceal a shortage of £85,426.80.
Prosecution case
4. Thomas George Brown was the Sub-Postmaster at the North Kenton Post Office Branch, Newcastle-upon-
Tyne. He also owned the associated shop and employed a Post Office Manager and three other staff.
5. On the 25th November 2008 an audit was conducted at the North Kenton Post Office; this revealed a total
shortage of £85,426.80.
In interview the Mr Brown indicated that he did not know how the losses arose and offered a number of
speculative explanations. He admitted false accounting to hide the losses. He inflated the cash figures, none of
the other staff did so;
— He had falsified the accounts — “Yes yes guilty”
6.The decision to discontinue this prosecution on public interest grounds were;
. Considered there would be no recovery of loss he is bankrupt,
. 5 years has passed since original short fall was identified on 25" November 2008 ,
. cost of continuing prosecution
. Mr. Browns age he is:
Please let me know if you require any more detail.
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Jarnail
Jarnail Singh 1 Criminal Lawyer
i)
OHOOO
@postofficenews
From: Jarnail A Singh
Sent: 21 August 2013 15:39
To: Susan Crichton
Cc: Hugh Flemington
Subject: RE: Emailing: Cleared Tyneside sub-postmaster urges Post Office to admit error - Journal Live.htm
Susan
I have found Suzanne winter and Kevin’s Ryan the investigation officers are absence on annual leave
until 9th September. I need the investigation file of Thomas Brown urgently to advice delay between
his suspension in 2008 and court proceedings in 2013? Unfortunately I do not have the green file;
that has previously been returned to Maureen who is also on leave. In those circumstances Iam
unable to why there was a delay between the first and second interview of over two and a half
years. Nevertheless I note that Simon Clarke from CK considered the delay in his Advice of 5th
January 2012 and concluded that Brown would not have been prejudiced in the preparation of his
defence given the admissions which he had made in his interview.
J now find the green file is in Northern Ireland and Mike Whitehead is also on annual leave until
Monday.
I will deal with this as soon I have the file.
P.S we have since spoken
Regards
Jarnail Singh I Criminal Lawyer
CLV SHO
aay) —_
fé Jarnail.a singh
A Post Office stories
fs @postotticenews
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From: Susan Crichton
Sent: 21 August 2013 07:48
To: Jarnail A Singh
Cc: Hugh Flemington
Subject: Fw: Emailing: Cleared Tyneside sub-postmaster urges Post Office to admit error - Journal Live.htm
dJarnail - can you prepare a draft response to Mike today?
Thanks
Susan
From: Whitehead Mike (ShEx) \. GRO. d
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 08:35 AM
To: Susan Crichton; Martin Edwards
Cc: Batten Peter (ShEx) ; Gibson Will (ShEx)
Subject: Emailing: Cleared Tyneside sub-postmaster urges Post Office to admit error - Journal Live.htm
<<Cleared Tyneside sub-postmaster urges Post Office to admit error - Journal Live.htm>>
Hi Susan and Martin
Useful to have more background about this case. The report refers both to the spm being ‘cleared’
and the case dropped by POL. Also what factors have led to 5 years elapsing between his
suspension in 2008 and court proceedings in 2013?
Regards
Mike
Mike Whitehead
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Shareholder Executive
Royal Mail and Postal Services
1 Victoria Street
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