POL00018721
POL00018721
Royal Mail Group
CONFIDENTIAL
Witness Statement
Criminal Justice Act 1967, Section 9; Magistrates Court Act 1980, sub section, 5A(3Ma) and 5B; Criminal Procedure Rules 2005, Rule 27.4
Statement of: Mr Jeff Roper
Age if under 18: Over 18 (if over 18 insert ‘over 18’)
This statement (consisting of “& 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 nat believe true.
Dated the ag" day of = May 2014
Signature
1am the person named above and I live at the address overleaf. I work for Post Office Ltd and my current role is
as Field Support Officer. As part of my role I undertake audits at Post Office® Branches.
On the 3rd September 2010, accompanied by my colleague Richard Cross, ! conducted an audit of the above
named branch. The audit had been arranged as Tracey Bedford, Migration Support Officer, had found the cash
to be short by £13624.41 the previous day and had therefore closed the office pending our visit.
The purpose of this audit was therefore to verify financial assets due to the Post Office®.
The audit revealed a shortage in the branch of £14842.37. A breakdown of the audit result and details of the
audit findings are as follows:
€ 13577.34 (-) Identified as a difference in cash figures
£ 446.03 (-) Identified as a difference in stock figures
€ 14023.37 (-) Total shortage on day of audit
£ Pending transaction correction, advised by Product & Branch Accounting on
819.00 (-) the day of the audit
£ _14842.37 (-) Total shortage
We arrived at the branch at 13.00 pm and introduced ourselves to the Postmaster Miss Alison Hall and advised
that we were to perform an audit on behalf of Post Office Ltd.
Miss Hall allowed us access to the secure area, and was present in the secure area whilst the audit was carried
out.
Miss Hall said the loss had occurred due to Lottery accounting problems and produced a report from Lottery
Accounting Chesterfield detailing errors ( mainly activations on the Lottery terminal not all being remitted in on
Signature
GS014 (Side A) Version 8 Jan 10
POL00018721
POL00018721
_... Postcode:
_, Work telephone No:
_ E-mail address: _jeff.roper,__
Preferred'means of contact:
Male Female Date and Place of Birth
Delete as applicable
Former name: Wa. conus, Height: Ethnicity Code:
Date of Witness non-availability:
4) I have been given the leaflet “Giving a Witness Statement - what happens next?” Yes [] No L
2) I consent to the statement being used for the purposes of Civil/Disciplinary proceedings. Yes I No iz
3) Have I specific care needs? a Yes J No L
If yes what are they (Healthcare, childcare, transport, disability, language difficulties, visually impaired, restricted
mobility or other concerns)
Signature of Witness:
Signature of Appropriate Adult:
(if applicable)
Statement taken by (print mame) mee OffFC@s
»
POL00018721
POL00018721
CONFIDENTIAL
Witness Statement
Criminal Justice Act 1967, Section 9, Magistrates Court Act 1980, sub section, 5A(3Ma) and 5B; Criminal Procedure Rules 2005, Rule 27.4
Page 2. of 2 Pages
Continuation Statement of Mr Jeff Roper
the Horizon system ) going back 18 months. She had been accepting the Transaction Corrections, adjusting the
instants on hand back down to the correct figure but not putting any money in to compensate. The Trading
Statement copies printed (originals unreadable) all show a clear balance and Miss Hall stated these were
adjusted to show clear before rolling over. Cash declarations together with snapshots produced indicate ONCH
falsely declared for some considerable time.
A call to Chesterfield revealed further Transaction Corrections due for -£819.00 mainly for Instants not remitted
in. Three of these were found with no remittance advice attached to prove to Miss Hail the information supplied
was correct.
The audit was completed revealing numerous discrepancies to stock and stamps on the Horizon snapshot in
addition to the cash discrepancy. The audit loss on the day was £14,842.37 which together with the amount of
£819.00 for Transaction Corrections pending brings the Trading Position deficit to £14,842.37.
Miss Hall was then advised that she should satisfy herself that the figures of the audit team were correct.
Therefore, we asked Miss Hall if she would do her own independent count of all the cash on hand again. She
said she had watched me count the cash and was happy the figure was correct.
Miss Hall then confirmed that the figures of the audit team were correct.
I now produce Branch Trading Statements as follows;
Dated 24/02/1010 to 24/03/2010 as exhibit JR/O1
Dated 24/03/2010 to 29/04/2010 as exhibit JR/02
Dated 29/04/2010 to 26/05/2010 as exhibit JR/03
Dated 26/05/2010 to 28/06/2010 as exhibit JR/04
Dated 28/06/2010 to 28/07/2010 as exhibit JR/O5
Dated 28/07/2010 to 26/08/2010 as exhibit JR/06
I now produce a balance snapshot dated 28/07/2010 timed at 17:43hrs as exhibit JR/07
I now produce a balance snapshot dated 28/07/2010 timed at 20:09hrs as exhibit JR/08
From items JR/O7 and JR/O8 it can be seen that a Discrepancy Over is shown as £13,067.24
And _ Discrepancy Short of £13,067.24
I now produce a cash declaration dated 28/07/2010 timed at 17:39hrs showing a total of £10,401.88 as exhibit
JR/O9
I now produce a cash declaration dated 29/07/2010 timed at 19:08hrs showing a total of £23,159.88 as exhibit
Signature
soa
POL00018721
POL00018721
CONFIDENTIAL
Witness Statement
Criminal Justice Act 1967, Section 9, Magistrates Court Act 1980, sub section. 54(3)(a) and 5B; Criminat Procedure Rules 2005, Rule 27.1
Page 3 of 2 Pages
Continuation Statement of Mr Jeff Roper
JR/O9
I would be willing to attend Court of necessary
Signature witnessed by ; G RO I
“Version 83a 10-7
so1a