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Royal Mail Group
Witness Statement
(CO Act 1967, s9; MC Act 1980, ss 5A(3)(a)
and 5B, MC Rules 1981, r 70)
Statement of Adrian MORRIS
Age if under 18 Over 18 (If over 18 insert ‘over 18')
This statement (consisting of four (4) 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.
Dated 6" dayof January 2009
the
Signature
I am employed by the Royal Mail Group and have been so for approximately twenty (20) years.
For the last six years I have held the position of Security Advisor for Post Office Ltd and as such
! am responsible for carrying out investigations into possible criminal offences committed
against the business. I also liaise and assist other law enforcement bodies with investigations
where Post Office Ltd may be the target of fraud.
On the 14” January 2008 I was asked by my Investigation Team Manager, Paul Dawkins to
attend West Byfleet Post Office, 14 Station Approach, West Byfleet, Surrey, KT14 6NG as he
had received information that there was going to be a large audit shortage at this Post Office.
l arrived at West Byfleet Post Office at around 14.10 hours on the 14" January 2008 and was
joined by my colleagues, Jon Longman and Lisa Allen. There were three Post Office auditors
present at the office. They were Keith Noverre, Sue Le May and Chris Stevens. I spoke with
Keith Noverre and he informed me that Mrs Seema Misra, Subpostmistress had advised him
that the accounts would be around £50,000 to £60,000 short. Keith Noverre also informed me
that Mrs Misra had admitted to him that she had adjusted her balancing to show a clear
Signatur} GRO I Signature witnessed
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by
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Royal Mail is a tr nane of Royal Mail Group ple. Registered number 4138203. Registered in England and Wale:
office: 148 Old Street, LONDON, ECLV 9HQ
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Registered
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Witness Statement
(CJ Act 1967, s9; MC Act 1980, ss 5A(3)(a) and 5B, MC Rules 1981, r 70)
Continuation of statement of Adrian MORRIS
balance
I then introduced myself and my colleagues to Seema Misra. Mrs Misra gave me two
handwritten reports which had both been signed by her. The first report stated that the
shortage in the Post Office was caused by staff thefts which had started from about a year and
ahalf ago. Mrs Misra wanted to make good the losses and had made up two remittance
pouches in which she was going to borrow money from friends and family in order to fill them
up. I now produce this report as exhibit AM/01. The other report stated that there was a loss of
around £2,000 in one of the stock units and again this was down to staff thefts. I now produce
this report as AM/02
Keith Noverre then handed me two remittance pouches which are used for dispatching excess
cash at Post Offices back to cash centres. The first remittance pouch had a barcode number on
it of 302124615598 and contained a remittance out slip produced on the 3” January 2008 and
was said to contain £13,000. There was also a return advice slip, produced on 3” January 2008
which had been datestamped and signed by Mrs Misra. The other remittance pouch had a
barcode number on of 302124615581 and contained a remittance out slip produced on 3”
January 2008 for £14,000 and a return advice slip produced on go" January 2008which had
been datestamped and signed by Mrs Misra. Neither pouch contained the cash amount that
the advice slips showed. These items have been exhibited by Keith Noverre.
At 14.28 hours I cautioned Mrs Misra in the presence of Lisa Allen and Jon Longman. I outlined
her legal rights by completeing form CS001 which I now produce as exhibit AM/03. Mrs Misra
agreed to a voluntary taped interview and consented to a search of her premises. Mrs Misra
said that she did not require a solicitor.
At 15.19 hours Seema Misra informed me that she needed to count the shop takings and
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Witness Statement
(CJ Act 1967, s9; MC Act 1980, ss 5A(3)(a) and 5B, MC Rules 1981, r 70)
Continuation of statement of Adrian MORRIS
prepare the banking. Mrs Misra did this and gave me £475 in order to reduce the Post Office
loss. I accepted this amount without prejudice to any further action being taken. I issued Mrs
Misra with a receipt for this amount.
At 16.25 hours I commenced a voluntary search with my colleagues of I_
West Byfleet where Mrs Misra lived. Mrs Misra did not take up the option of having a Post
Office friend present. However, her husband, Davinder Kumar Misra was present and witnessed
the search. The search concluded at 16.37 and no items were seized. The search forms CS005
and CS005c are now exhibited as AM/04.
At 17.25 hours on Monday 14" January 2008, in an office above West Byfleet Post Office I
commenced a tape recorded interview with Seema Misra. Also present was Jon Longman. Mrs
Misra completed the reverse side of the form CS001 reminding her of her legal rights and also
completed form CS003 indicating she did not require a Post Office friend.
The interview was concluded at 18.29 hours and consisted of two tapes. I now produce as
exhibits AM/05 and AM/06 the two master tapes with seal numbers 060341 and 060342. I
have also produced a tape summary of the interview and I produce this as exhibit AM/07.
In summary Mrs Misra informed me of the following. When Seema became subpostmistress
she kept the staff that the previous Subpostmaster had employed and let them run the office.
After a while Seema noticed that things were not quite right and reported a £1,000 loss to the
police. The losses at the Post Office continued and staff either resigned or were sacked as the
losses were uncovered. Although only a £1,000 loss had been reported to the police Seema said
that the losses actually totalled between £89,000 to £90,000. Seema said that she had been
paying money back into the Post Office to try and reduce the loss.
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Witness Statement
(CJ Act 1967, s9; MC Act 1980, ss 5A(3)(a) and 5B, MC Rules 1981, r 70)
Continuation of statement of Adrian MORRIS
Seema explained that she would try and hide the shortages by not only falsifying the cash on
hand figure but also falsely declaring cash as being in remittance pouches when in fact there
was none. When I showed Seema the Branch Trading Account for period 08, dated 15"
November 2006 to 14" December 2006 she confirmed that the cash on hand figure of
£27,993.73 and currencies awaiting collection figure of £13,070 were both falsified. I produce
this Branch Trading Account as exhibit AM/08. I then showed Seema two further Branch
Trading Statements for Branch Trading Period 02, dated 1 6” May 2007 to the 16" June 2007
which I produce as exhibit AM/09 and the Branch Trading Statement for Branch Trading
Period 08, dated 14" November 2007 to the 15" December 2007 which I produce as exhibit
AM/10. Seema confirmed that the cash on hand figures and currencies awaiting collection
figures on both accounts were false. Seema confirmed that all Branch Trading Statements
since Branch Trading Period 08 (1 5" November 2006 to 14" December 2006) were false
accounts.
I asked Seema what would have happened if she had shown the correct figures on the
accounts and she said that the Post Office would have been taken away from her. Seema
acknowledged that what she had done was dishonest. Seema said that she was the only person
who completed the Branch Trading Accounts.
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