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From: Mark R Davies}
Sent: Fri 30/11/2018 5:04:35 PM (UTC)
To: Paula Vennellsf~
Subject: Re: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND LEGALLY PRIVILEGED
That’s fine Paula.
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From: Paula Vennell
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2018 4:
To: Mark R Davies
Subject: Re: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND LEGALLY PRIVILEGED
pm
Mark, thanks for all the work on this.
IT would like to talk about it persoanlly.
In one sense the subsequent emails demonstrate that we were trying to get to the right answer (ie., did it or
didn’t it allow access).
As we know, the consistent answers from FJ and all CIOs (Lesley Sewell and Mike Young before her) was that
it was not possible. Hence my and others’ desire to be able to explain that, in lay language.
I can see how it could be twisted to present the opposite story, if the claimants thought we were trying to cover
something up.
What is our response to the accusation the DM may present?
Portland’s advice?
This is easier to discuss. Can you take a call later? I should have a signal after 5.30pm. Let me know what would
suit?
Thanks,
Paula
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From: Mark R Davies
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2018 07:29
To: Paula Vennells; Jane MacLeod; Mark Underwood:.} Rodric Williams; Angela Van-Den-Bogerd; Julie Thomas; Alisdair
Cameron
Cc: Melanie Corfield
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND LEGALLY PRIVILEGED
All
Ahead of our call today I wanted to drop you a line to update you on the Daily Mail’s interest in the case.
While the journalist has not been in court this week we believe he is planning a piece (and it feels like a couple of
pages) on the trial to coincide with closing arguments.
We believe this will be very negative, and based on the previous narrative - ie that Post Office is entirely to blame
for this issue and has sought to cover up issues with Horizon.
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We think he will focus on the attached email chain to make the case that we were not up front about remote
access.
We believe it is going to be uncomfortable. Mel and I were working on it last night and believe we can speak to
the journalist on background to try to limit the nature of the article. But we also believe we shouldn’t go too far
in doing so, respecting the court process. We are taking advice from Portland.
We should discuss on the call today.
Mark
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