POL00044820
POL00044820
Royal Mail
LJ
The Real Network
Memo
23” June 2004 Legal Services
Impact House
S & A Casework 2 Edridge Road
CROYDON
c.c. Paul Whitaker CR9 1PJ
POST OFFICE LIMITED v DAVID CHARLES BLAKEY
SUB POST OFFICE ASSISTANT, RIBY SQUARE SPSO
CASE NO: 0405/0172
Read and noted, thank you.
In my opinion there is sufficient evidence to afford a realistic prospect of
conviction of Mr Blakey for an offence of theft with a low prospect of success and
for false accounting with a high prospect of success. Clearly in the absence of
any admissions from Mr Blakey for theft of the £64,435.24, then we will need to
eliminate the involvement of Mrs Blakey and other members of staff, and they
will need to give evidence (if they can do so) to implicate Mr Blakey in the
preparation of the inputs of all the daily figures for the Office on the Horizon
system and that each week he completes the Office balance and subsequently
produces and signs the weekly cash account and the other members of staff do
not perform any of the accounting procedures at the Office. This has been
accepted by David Blakey. This fact needs to be confirmed in witness
statements. The witnesses will need to confirm that they did not steal cash or
falsify the accounts. Once we can get these statements, then I would confirm
that there would be a good prospect of success to prosecute Mr Blakey for theft.
The case will further be strengthened by the further enquiries which are in hand
in relation to his finances.
As stated above, once the evidence is forthcoming from other members of staff
then I consider it would be appropriate to proceed by way of summons in this
case.
This case is, in my opinion, more suitable for trial in the Crown Court. When the
decision has been taken please obtain summonses.
No further statements need be obtained at this stage.
If the Defendant should elect trial or if the Magistrates refuse jurisdiction or if a
Not Guilty plea is entered the Officer should obtain and associate all necessary
statements and exhibits. I list below the statements which appear to be
necessary in this case, but the Officer should also consider whether there are
any other areas which can usefully be covered and include any other evidence.
© Royal Mail 2002 - Page 1 of 2
Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group plc. Registered number 4138203
Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: 148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V 9H
POL-0041299
POL00044820
POL00044820
Memo
Cont...
1 Statements from the Auditors.
2 A statement from the Retail Network Manager concerning the
appointment of the Subpostmaster and identifying Mrs Blakey the
Subpostmistress and producing a copy of the relevant extract of the
contract showing that it is not permitted to use Post Office funds.
3 Statements from other members of staff as discussed above.
4 Astatement from Paul Graham Whitaker and Helen Dickinson outlining
their total involvement in the matter and producing all relevant exhibits
including the interviews.
5 Any other statements the Officers consider relevant.
Itis intended to make application for compensation in the sum of £64,435.24.
The prosecution will be conducted by my Agents Messrs Messrs Frank Allen
Pennington, Solicitors of Hill House..Chambers...a/7, Regent Terrace, South
Parade, Doncaster DN1 2EE (Tel.No: GR _I Please liaise with Agents
before fixing a hearing date
The file should be returned to this Office four weeks prior to the hearing date so that I
may send instructions to Agents.
Jarnail A Singh
Senior Lawyer
Criminal Law Division
Ref: CRM/243869/JSX
© Royal Mail 2002 - Page 2 of 2
Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group plc. Registered number 4138203
Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: 148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V SHQ
document15
POL-0041299