WITN08040100 Michael Burton - Witness Statement

Evidence on official site

Witness Name: Michael Burton
Statement No.: WITN08040100
Dated: 28 January 2023

POST OFFICE HORIZON IT INQUIRY

FIRST/SECOND ETC STATEMENT OF [Michael James Burton)

I, [Michael James Burton], will say as follows...

INTRODUCTION

I worked for Fujitsu for a brief period between March and September 2000. This was
nearly 23 years ago. I have had no reason to reminisce on my time there and my
memories are very vague. There is very little that I consider reliable enough to
recount under oath.

BACKGROUND

4

I believe I started working for Fujitsu in March 2000. I was sent on an induction
course in Birmingham. This was nothing to do with Pathway. I was originally
employed as a software developer floating between various projects. I was told
later I would be assigned to Pathway permanently.

. Although I was employed from March 2000, I remember a long period of time

before I had access to a PC connected to the Post Office network and I didn’t
have any work to do until — I think — late May 2000. This has stuck I my mind
because I was very bored.

. In all, I worked on what was called “Horizon” for about three months. I

remember it being a large store and forward system. PO counter staff had a
Windows NT4 PC with a point of sale app that captured transactions and
forwarded them to some central point over ISDN connections.

. I was expected to deal with fault calls logged by postmasters, most of which

seemed to involve me trawling through the raw data captured from the counter
computers. I did this for a short time and cannot remember any more details
or even why I had to do it.

. I left for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I didn't enjoy the work. Secondly, it wasn’t

giving me any marketable skills towards future employment.

WITN08040100
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Statement of Truth

I believe the content of this statement to be true.
ann

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