Financial Investigation Events Log
Case Number: FI 0607/0108
Date
Events
Initials
iS Nov
06
I commence a financial investigation into Miss
Janet Louise Skinner the ex subpostmaster of North
Bransholme Post Office. The following documents
that were received from Dianne Matthews on the 19
September 2006 were entered onto the document
schedule
Item 1 HMRC Check on J L Skinner
Item 2 Credit Register Check JL
Skinner
Item 3 Land Registry Check 224
Goddard Ave.
MFM
15 Nov
Obtained a copy of the offender report item 4
iS Nov
Requested “Personnel” printout and Bank statements
from Dianne.
15 Nov
Received “Personnel” printout and P356 by E mail
15 Nov
An updated Credit Check form submitted
17 Nov
Copies of authorities and bank statements from
received from Diane Matthews
Credit Check form received back, associated with 2
Submitted an up to date Land Registry Check on! GRO}
Spoke with Diane; she confirmed that Mrs Skinner
rented the Post Office when she was subpostmaster.
She also stated that recently the new officer in
charge a Wendy Lyell had been suspended on
suspicion of Theft and the police are involved.
Dianne to keep me informed. Diane has submitted the
Committal papers and the there is a hearing and the
case will be heard on Tuesday. Currently the matter
is being discussed with the Solicitors re Charges
Spoke with Thea at Kensington Mortgages on GRO.
} she confirmed that they have a Mortgage for
about £96K and a secured loan for about £16K on
Miss Skinner Home address f GRO
Nationwide House Price Calculator values the her
house at £103,225 which is less than the loans on
the property (7)
Credit Check identifies a linked address [
Land registry Check
submitted
Call out to Dianne to discuss the
the case and to find out who she served the
ture conduct of
authority on with the banks
MFM
Received LR Check on { GRO
with 3
MEM
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7 Dec 06
Spoke to Diane she will speak with her team leader
about liaising with the police in the Wendy Lyell
case. She is not convinced that Wendy Lyell is
responsible for the vast amount of the £59k. This
is because she lives in rented accommodation in a
quite run down area of Hull, with no signs of any
sort of high life. In addition Miss Skinner did not
report to anyone that she was short as would be
expected if she was not responsible for the thefts.
8 Dec 06
Spoke with Thea at Kensington Mortgages to ask if
the house owned by Miss Skinner was valued at the
time of the increased Mortgage. Thea asked for a
DPA, which I agreed to do. Spoke to Diane to
clarify what the position was in respect of the
charge was. Dianne stated that it is a case of
wait and see what happens to Wendy Lyell, but in
any event the committal is sufficient to re draft
the theft charge as false accounting if appropriate
later. In any event we will have to know the value
of the house before we decided on pursuing a
Confiscation order so DPA Fax sent (8)
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8 Dec 06
Thea at Kensington Mortgages rang back to say that
they had the property valued at £135K when they
issued the previous loan
Dec
Telephoned Thea and left a message for her to phone
me re is the mortgage a repayment or endowment
Dec
Telephoned Dianne at Welcome Financial Services,
she said that the company is a loan company but she
would get the MRLO to phone me back
Dec
Spoke with Diane and formed her that I would sent
her a section 18 Provision of Financial Information
Form. Asked hi to make sure that it is served if
we get an early guilty plea. Section 18 Sent
06
Dec
Land Registry Check returned on
No registered estate (9)
5 Jan 07
Sent a Copy of a section 18 Juliet for service on
Court
io
07
Jan
E mail from Diane detailing the Confiscation time
table (10)
16
o7
Jan
Received from Diane a notice from the courts about
the confiscation timetable. Associated with 10
16
07
Jan
Received from Juliet the same info re the
confiscation and a copy of the section 18.
Associated with 10
Jan
Asked Dianne for the details of her contact at the
Halifax
Jan
Received contact details for Halifax associated
with 6
Jan
Tried to speak with Kathleen Kerr on the number on
the letter. The Leeds Call centre had now closed I
was advised to speak with Police Liaison. Spoke
with Claire. She confirmed that Janet Louse Skinner
Has three accounts with the Halifax they are AN
GRO land
25
07
Jan
Spoke with Lynn at Halifax Customer Services in
Glasgow. She confirmed that they had the
authorities and that the number on one of them was
incorrect
25 Jan
07
Left a message with Welcome I, GRO
MLRO Mr Andrew Bradbury to telephone me
___.}for the
MFM
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Date Events Initials
25 Jan Spoke with Chris Cooper of Friends provident They MFM
07 will detail what the Direct Debit is for if 1
forward a DPA to Suzanne Flight on
25 Jan Sent a letter to Miss Skinner to ask for authority MFM
07 to disclose for any financial institution for which
she has an account and in particular the Halifax
accounts and the Welcome Financial services
Account. (11)
25 Jan DPA sent to Suzzanne Flight at Friends Provident MFM
07 (12)
26 Jan Spoke with Yvonne at GE Capital Motor Finance. She MFM
07 will provide deta the ngements if
I_send a DPA. Fax
26 Jan Message left for Andrew Bradbury to phone back MEM
07
26 Jan DPA Sent to GE Money (13) MFM
07
26 Jan Obtained a fax number for Andrew Bradbur’ MEM
07 (GRO land faxed him a DPA (14)
29 Jan Cali from Derek Edwards Friends Provident. The MEM
07 policy with them is a term assurance policy and as
such it has no value except in death.
29 Jan Cail from Andrew Bradbury Welcome Financial MEM
07 Services. Mrs skinner took out a loan in May 2005
for £3k for a Kitchen refurbishment. The loan has
not been paid for about 6 Months
30 Jan Call from Yvonne at GE Motor Finance. Mrs skinner “MFM
07 had a car Chrysler Grand Cherokee but
she voluntary surrendered it in Sept 06 and GE
Motor Finance sold it at action. They also have a
debt of £5500 outstanding
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2 Feb 07 [Informed by Diane that Miss skinner had been
sentenced to 9 Months imprisonment and the
Confiscation Hearing has been set for the 25 May
2007
13 Feb Received a Financial Statement from Miss Skinner
07 via her solicitors (15)
13 Feb Wrote to Miss skinners solicitors to request MEM
07 authority for disclosure m Miss Skinner. This
may have been overlooked in view of Miss Skinnexr’s
imprisonment. Letter associated with 11
13 Feb Track and trace carried out on letter to mis
07 skinner it was delivered in hull on the 26.
Associated with 11
5 Mar 07 [Message 1 for Mr K W Turner
5 Mar 07 I Requested Remuneration details from Janice Thompson I MFM
12 Mar Received remuneration details from Janice (16)
o7
14 Mar Spoke with Thea at Kensington Mortgage Company Ltd.
07 She confirmed that Miss skinner currently owes
£96,746.69 on her mortgage and £17, 924 .24 on a
secured loan. (Total £114,670.93) She also
confirmed that KMG used carried out an internal and
external valuation of July 2006
and valued the property 0 prior t
giving a further loan
14 Mar07 I Message 1 for Mr K W Turner at Max Gold MEM
Partnership to make contact
14 Mar Spoke with Janice Thompson she confirmed that Miss I MFM
07 Skinner had been the temporary subpostmistress at
Bodmin Road between the 26 May 2004 and the 1*t Feb
2005.
14 Mar Spoke with Mr K W Turner. He stated that Miss
07 Skinner would give bankers authority and it was
agreed that I would contact him in seven days if I
had not received.
Mar 07 Obtained Copies the Tape Summaries (17)
15 Mar Obtained a copy of the note to Written by D Hoyles
07 (18)
15 Mar Copy of RPI figures (19) MEM
07
15 Mar Copy of Nationwide house price Calculator values MEM
07 house at £136,999.00 (20)
26 Mar Obtained up to date RPI Figures including Feb 07 MEM
07 associated with (19) Nationwide data the same
26 Mar Spoke with Mr Turner he has written to Miss Skinner I MFM
07 and not got a reply. He suggested that I write to
her direct. Letter sent by registered post To Miss
Skinner at_HM Prison and YOT New Hall
2 Apr 07 I Received a covering letter and authorities from MEM
Miss skinner, Letter and copies of the authorities
are now 21. Letter sent to HBoS with 2 of the
authorities by Special Delivery
2 Apr 07 [Informed Emma, Mr Turner’s Secretary of the receipt
of the authorities
19 Apr Received from HBoS copies of statements for the
07 three Halifax accounts as detailed in the letter
from Catherine Yuill (item 22)
10 May Carried out an internet search on Peter Stockill
07 Ltd. It is a car dealership for Chrysler and Jeep
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10 May Confirmed with John Jenkinson that Miss Skinners
o7 Branch was not audited between Transfer on the 27
May 2004 and her suspension.
10 May Spoke with Joanne Whisker {I GRO Current
07 Subpostmistress at North nsholme about the rent
she pays. She pays £700 per month to a Mr Kerry
Patel who on behalf of London Prime Premises. She
understands that the property has change hands
several times since Miss Skinner was the
subpostmistress.
10 May Telephoned Steve Miller Multiple Account manager.
07 He will make enquiries to see he could Identify
who ran the multiple before it was taken over by
Miss Skinner
10 May Spoke with Joanne Whisker top obtain Mr Patels
07 Phone number which is {77
10 May Mr Patel stated that he bought the shop premises at
07 auction in June or July 2005. At the time a shop
Canadian General Store operated from the Premises
and he obtained rent from them. Miss Skinner is
thought to have paid them rent
10 May Spoke with Neil at HBoS. He confirmed that the were
07 no accounts associated to Miss Skinner with the
number { i
10 May Spoke with Mathew at Kensington Mortgages. Miss
07 Skinners Mortgage was issued by them on the 28 Oct
05 and the secured loan was sent to her by a cheque
for £14,500 but he would have to go to another
department to see which account it was cleared
through
10 May Spoke with Louise at HBoS she confirmed that Janet
07 Louise Skinner did not have any other active
accounts whilst she was subpostmistress. She also
confirmed that debit cards transactions are only
payable to business. Accounts she had used her
debit card to carry out a transfer it would show as
a transfer.
10 May Forwarded an email to HBOS to request information
07 and also sent the request by fax. Details in item
23
Tl May Forwarded a second E mail to HBoS to check the
07 debit card payments, also sent the request by fax
(associated with 23)
Tl May Obtained a Printout from the Land registry on the
07 House Price Index for City of Kingston upon Hull
(Item 25)
Tl May Received a call from Steve Miller he will E ma
07 all the info he can provide
14 May E mail sent on the 11 May Obtained. (Item 25)
07
15 May Spoke with David Massey at the Land registry to ask
07 how to work out the RPI. He w find out and let
me_know
15 May Spoke with Roger Wybrow ARA he has never used HPI
07 as he used Nationwide or HBoS they are much the
same but in any event they are a guide it is down
to the Defendant to Value the property.
15 May Telephone United News on spoke with
07 speak with Anne
Debbie Clay. She advised that
GRO Message left
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16 May Received a memo from Juliet saying that she had
07 forwarded the defence response to the Prosecutors
statement in the post Telephone Marylyn and asked
her to fax it
16 May Spoke with Anne Edwards United News she will find
07 out details of whom they paid rent to for North
Bransholme office and what the arrangements re rent
when Janet Louise Skinner took over
16 May Received the defence response by fax (item 26)
07 Sent_an e mail to Juliet with my response
16 May Spoke to Sharion Hamleton at Team Manager at
07 Clerical Medical on she carried out a
search on both names NINO Postcode and the
different ref number on the HMRC check unable to
identify any products either existing or ceased
16 May Telephoned Wendy Rowlands at HMRC to see if she
07 could throw further light on the matter she was
unable to do so
17 May Hard copy of 2 statement information forwarded
o7 to Juliet
17 May E mail received from Anne Edwards re United News
07 involvement (Item 27)
22 May Telephoned Joanne Whisker she said that she took
07 over the office in October and shortly after Wendy
Lyell was suspected of theft as money was missing
from her individual stock unit. W Lyell has been
dismissed but Joanne did not think the police due
to insufficient evidence had pursued the matter.
She will obtain a Crime reference number and let me
know.
23 May Spoke with Joanne Whisker. The crime reference
07 number was DS/1428257/2006. Ms Lyell was short
about £2800. She admitted losing a bag of £2.00
coins amounting to about £580. She was also about
£900 short in prepared bundle of money. She tried
to Borrow £2000 off Avril to hide the shortage
Lyell has been dismissed. Her home address isf
{ GRO “I Her DOB is{GRO!
a sjand her NI Number She had
a bank account number [ }and that
she has a NS&I account. She added the police were
not prosecuting
23 May Called Humberside Police and was told the enqui
07 team would contact me back.
23 May Spoke with Dianne Matthews she confirmed that the
07 police were not prosecuting and had nothing further
to add except that Wendy Lyell started work in
January 2006, after the first losses.
23 May After a number of missed calls received a call i
07 the evening. I arranged for them to call me back
er 1600hrs on the 24t
24 May Received a call from Sgt Taylor at Humberside. He
07 said that Ms Lyell had been interviewed and gave an
account for the shortage, to the effect that it had
been an error rather than dishonesty. Advice was
sought from the CPS who thought that there was
insufficient evidence to prosecute. He did not
think that a search took place and he is not aware
of any financial intelligence. He added that the
Police had informed us of the situation in January
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25 May Telephoned Dianne to confirm date of Miss Lyell
07 starting work at the Branch
25 May Received a call from Dianne the Wendy Lyell started
07 working at the Branch in November, The time the
losses started
25 May Informed Ms P Doherty of the above fact
07
25 May Case put off until the 29 August 2007
o7
25 May Spoke with Dianne asked her to send me the
07 statement she had re Wendy Lyell and any info she
had
25 May Spoke with DC Day at Humberside FIU to see if they
07 had any financial intelligence on Ms Lyell. She had
not but I was informed that. theo the case
was PC Wendy Sawyer on
telephone that number and n duty
ge left for her to phone me.
25 May again and left a further message
07
25 May Spoke with Dianne and asked why she had not
07 informed me that police were not prosecuting Wendy.
She said that she had told me when she found out. I
did not recall.
25 May Received an E mail from Dianne with statement of
07 Wendy Lyell (item 28)
25 May Called i gain requested e mail
07 address that they would not give the
email address over the phone, was told a further
message would be sent to PC Sawyer to phone me By
2200hzs call not received
25 May Prepared a Credit Check and a copy of ther HMRC
07 check for Dave to authorise re Wendy Lyell and also
sent_a HMRC Check to Paul Woods
26 May Posted the Credit Check and Hard copy of the HMRC
07 Check to Dave
4 Sun 07 [Listened to message From PC Sawyer on my Mobile,
which had been left during my annual leave.
@ Jun 07 [Received a memo from Juliet about the hearing on
the 25 May 2007 (item 29)
4 Jun 07 I Confirmed with Dave that he had received and
authorised the Credit and HMRC checks. He had sent
them off this morning (Out of Office)
@ Jun 07 I Telephone Tspoke with PC
Jackson who told me BC Sawyers name is Zoe Sawyer
and that he would leave a message for her
4 Jun 07 [Confirmed with Anne Edwards that 12 Grandale was a
Post Office address. She confirmed that it was and
that Miss Skinner never lived there.
@ Jan 07 try Check submitted on],
GRO
4 Jun 07 @léphoned f GRO “Pand was informed that PC
Sawyers is employed at Foster Street but mail to
the address goes astray so I would be best writing
to PC Sawyers 2004 Humberside Police Priory Rd Hull
HUS 5SF but it may take a day or two to get to her.
On preparing the letter it occurred to me that I
should Fax the letter called back and got the fax
number asf” I Faxed letter item 30
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5 Jun 07 I Informed by Rod in the intelligence team that the
Credit Check for Wendy Lyell had come back that she
left the property in Feb 2006.as then is when she
registered to on the voters list. Rod will send me
details He does not know how to do a Name and DOB
Check will speak with Alan Parsons on his return
tomorrow.
o
a
2
5
07 I Received the Land Registry Direct: Register View.
The land is owned by Kingston Upon Hull Counce
6 Jun 07 I Spoke with Andy and asked if he could do a general
search for Wendy Lyell on her name and DOB. He will
look into it.
6 Jun 07 Called Dianne to ask her to check to see that she
did not have a further address for Wendy. She is
away until the 11 June 2007
é Jun 07 IAndy Parsons phone back to say that Rod may have
misunderstood the Credit Check she is only The 06
ate on the voters list may have been the last list
available. Their was a credit check for Next in Jan
2007. Asked Andy if he could find out how to do
location checks and do one on name and DOB just to
confirm.
6 Jun 07 I Received the credit check back re Wendy Lyle item
32
8Jun 07 I Received a message from PC Sawyers that a credit
heck will be submitted
8 Jun 07 I Credit check revealed an alias of Beckett. rther
Credit check submitted to Dave for signature and
sent an e mail to Matthew Williams to include
Beckett on the HMRC check.
27 Jun Received an E mail from Juliet dated the 18 Jun
07 2007 asking Dianne if Ms Lyell had been prosecuted.
Diane copied me in on the reposnse dated the same
date. Today received a hard copy of the Defence
skeleton argument
27 Jun Received the HMRC Check Re Wendy Lyell (item 34) no
07 mention of the name Wendy Beckett as requested in
e mail of the 8‘ Jun 2007. Spoke with Rachel Smith
she will make enquiries to see if check was
submitted
27 Jun Credit Check re Wendy Beckett received Item 35
07
27 Jun Response from Rachel Smith, they had checked
07 Beckett with negative results
27 Jun Received a letter from La -Lee MeKenna HBos
07 dated the 25 Jun 2007 item 36
27 Jun Received the following Correspondence from PC
07 Sawyers,
Crime Print out and miscellaneous correspondence
item 37
Copy of Statement from Joanne Wisker item 38
Copy of Statement from Avril Worsley Devere item 39
Record of interview and Questions item 40
28 Jun Spoke with Andy at RBS Cards{
07 establish any details on the
back.
28 Jun Discussed the case with Rob Wilson and he saw no
07 difficulty with writing to MS Lyell and asking her
for authority to disclose information. Request
letter sent
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28 Jun
07
Responded to Juliet to the defence argument
6 Jul
o7
Received an email and an advice memo from Juliet
dated the Sth July. Hard copy of the Prosecutors
Response to the defence Skeleton Argument is in the
post
6 Jul 07
Prosecutors response received (Item 41) in the post
responded to Juliet
9 Jul 07
Carried out a trace and trace on item ZH 9678 0613
6 GB item was not delivered on the 29/06/07, No
answer. Track and trace item 42.
9Jul 07
rss
Neil Western to make enquiries at Hull Delivery
ice to see the state xe_the item, and whetherf
i Lhave been
Jhas not been
flooded. He phoned bat
flooded and I
GROFe but it is not thought that the properties
were but the delivery Postman will be asked
tomorrow.
9 Jul 07
attempt had been made to Mrs Lyell at
It does not appear to the office mana
house is occupied. Dianne Ma
Message from Angela Maloney/
flooded .
30 Jul 07
The letter that I sent to Wendy Lyell at
was returned as not calle
Drane “informed” Dianne states that she is under
pressure and is going to discuss the job with Jude
Trotter. Letter item 43
03/09/07
* Order made. Spoke to Juliet she says she will
forward order. (Close case after recovery)
GH
06/09/07
From Juliet.
REGINA v_JANET LOUISE SKINNER
HULL CROWN COURT
CONFISCATION HEARING - 29"* AUGUST 2007
CASE NO: POLTD/0607/0108
Court on the
ted
was repr
with false
have benefited. You will
hear that the not accept the
ment .
Negotiations did take place in which the 0:
was involved, It was agreed that the Defendant had
e by her the sum of
.39. The recoverable amount was assessed at
should pay
GH
Financial Investigation Events Log
within 6 months and imposed 12 months imprisonment
in default.
I understand that a copy of the Order was handed to
the Officer, however a further
copy to be sent to me.
* Memo in file. Reference ???
arrange
06/09/07 I This case is ready for closure however we need to GH
record the order on JARD and chase up the recovery
from the local RART. However it should be revisited
in 6 months or 1 year say.
11/03/08 * Contacted the confiscation team 01132646318 I GH
* Informed that there is a default hearing on
28 March 2008-03-11 Sent fax to Jeanette
Pollard (confiscation Team)
01/07/08 I For information. GH
I had a telephone call from Counsel at Sovereign
Chambers in Leeds informing me that the case
against the above named will be heard at Hull Crown
Court tomorrow (1st July 2008) at 10am re
Certificate of Inadequacy.
10/07/08 I REGINA v JANET LOUISE SKINNER GH
HULL CROWN COURT - 26 AUGUST 2008
CASE NO: POLTD/0607/0108
This matter was listed for Mention in the Hull Crown
Court on the 1** July 2008.
Apparently Mrs Skinner had sold her house but only
received equity of £1,470.65.
The Judge made various Orders as follows:-
1 The Defendant to lodge £1,470.65 with Hu
Magistrates Court within 7 days of the
July 2008 (4pm st July 2008).
2 The Defendant to serve upon the Post Office
and Court an Affidavit to explain events
relied upon by her with evidence supporting
her submissions. This is to be lodged within
21 days.
3 Any Order at Sheffield Magistrates Court to be
stayed and the enforcement proceedings to be
transferred to Hull Magistrates Court until an
application is made to the Court by the
Prosecution.
4 The matter to be listed for hearing before
His Honour Judge Thorn QC week commencing
26% August 2008 or thereabouts. On that
date the matter to be fully aired and
resolved.
10/07/08 I TC.to Juliet to discuss case. I will look at the GH
request and make a discussion on instructing the
agents and attendance.
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