POL00044826
POL00044826
Witness Statement
(CJ Act 1967, s9; MC Act 1980, ss 5A(3)(a)
and 5B, MC Rules 1981, r 70)
Statement of Natasha Ann Beck
Age if under 18 Over 18 (If over 18 insert ‘over 18')
This statement (consisting of two 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.
Datedthe 18% dayof November 2004
Signature N. A. Beck
I am currently a post office clerk working at Cleethorpes Subpostoffice in North East Lincolnshire. I have
held this position since June of this year (2004). Prior to this I worked for the Lincoln Co-operative group
as a Post Office clerk and before this I worked at Riby Square Subpostoffice for David and Gillian Blakey.
I left Mr Blakeys employ in June 2003 after having worked at Riby Square Subpostoffice for approximately
15 months. Although I was aware that Gillian Blakey was the subpostmistress at Riby Square, her
Husband David Blakey attended the office each afternoon and I considered him to be in overall charge of
the operation. As said each afternoon David Blakey would attend the Subpostoffice. This would be around
4.00 pm to 4.30pm. During my time at Riby Square Subpostoffice my main duties were the serving of
customers however on occasions I also assisted David Blakey whilst he assembled the relevant
information to perform the office daily cut offs. This involved me reconciling the vouchers, cheques, green
giro cheques etc. with the cash in each clerks cash drawer, before giving the relevant vouchers cheques
green giro cheques etc to David Blakey along with the accompanying summaries produced from the
horizon accounting system. At this time I would also perform a check of the cash which was on hand at
the Subpostoffice, this would involve me counting all of the cash in the safe and establishing how much
working cash was actually in each clerks cash drawer. When I had reached a figure for the total amount of
cash on hand for the Subpostoffice I would write the figure on a piece of paper and hand it to David
Blakey. I can state that although I gave Mr Blakey the piece of paper with the figure on it I never entered
any of these figures onto the Horizon accounting system personally, it was always Mr Blakey. Also I can
state that I never actually checked to see if Mr Blakey had entered the figure which was on the piece of
paper on to the system correctly. Also whilst working at Riby Square Subpostoffice I assisted Mr Blakey
with the weekly balance. This involved me producing from the Horizon System and “office snapshot”,
which is a printout of all the Subpostoffices transactions and gives an indication of the quantities of each
different type of transaction, which the office has performed that week. Using this snapshot I would have
Signature N. Beck Signature witnessed by P.Whitaker
CS011 (Side A) Version 3.0 11/02
POL00044826
POL00044826
Witness Statement
(CJ Act 1967, s9; MC Act 1980, ss 5A(3)(a) and 5B, MC Rules 1981, r 70)
Continuation of statement of Natasha Ann Beck
been able to establish of the amount of vouchers, cheques etc. held at the Subpostoffice reconciled
against the amount of transactions the Subpostoffice had performed. After I had checked each section of
the office snapshot I would give the information to Mr Blakey. This was the full extent of the help I gave to
Mr Blakey in producing the office balance. I can state that throughout my time at Riby Square
Subpostoffice I never falsified any accounts or stole any money.
Signature N. Beck Signature witnessed by P.Whitaker
CSOt1A Version 3.0 11/02