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Witness Name: Ruth Simpson
Statement Number: WITN09400100
Dated: 14 August 2023
POST OFFICE HORIZON IT INQUIRY
FIRST WITNESS STATEMENT OF RUTH SIMPSON
I, RUTH SIMPSON, will say as follows...
1. This statement is made to assist the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry and relates
to the RULE 9 request dated 5th May 2023, which relates to my experience at
Marine Drive Post Office and my involvement in the litigation against Lee
Castleton. At that time, I was responsible as a Sub-Postmistress for the Post
Office, at First Lane, Hessle.
2. I confirm that I gave a statement on the 19th of October 2006 and attended at
Court, as a witness, in proceedings to which that statement related, I gave
evidence on behalf of the Post Office [LCAS0000121].
3. I confirm I have had the opportunity to consider the statement I made once
again, and I confirm the content is a true account of my recollection, of the
experience I had at Marine Drive Post Office. My recollection is limited to the
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content of that statement and the documents provided to me by this inquiry, as
it relates to an experience I had in 2004 which is now 19 years ago. I confirm
that that in drafting this statement I sought legal advice and assistance from
Elizabeth Rowley, a solicitor at Andrew Jackson LLP.
4. I have reviewed the following documents in order to prepare this statement:
a. [POL00083031] — First Witness Statement of Catherine Oglesby dated
21 January 2006;
b. [POL00071592] — Second Witness Statement of Catherine Oglesby
dated 10 October 2006;
c. [FUJ00122334] & [FUJ00122335] — Witness Statement of Andrew Paul
Dunks dated 12 October 2006 and Exhibit AD1;
d. [POL00083641] — Witness Statement of Christine Train dated 29
November 2006;
e. [POL00069282] -— Witness Statement of Dorothy Day dated 29
November 2006;
f. [POL00069275] — Transcript of Mr Castleton and Ms Train’s evidence in
Post Office Limited v Castleton, Case No: HQ05X02706;
g. [POL00070183] — Transcript of my evidence in Post Office Limited v
Castleton, Case No: HQ05X02706;
h. [POL00073609] - Catherine Oglesby's Summary of events at Marine
Drive Post Office; and
i. [POL00071236] — Note of Marine Drive Interview on 10 May 2004.
5. My career has been over a period of 39 years. In 1976, I started work at
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Yorkshire Bank PLC, progressing to the bank branch manager, a role I
remained in for 23 years. In 1999 I left the Yorkshire bank to be a Sub-
Postmistress for the Post Office. From the year 1999 to 2015, I worked as the
Sub-Postmistress, at First Lane Post Office, in Hessle, until my retirement in
2015.
. During the year 2004, I was asked by a lady called Cath Oglesby, who was my
then line manager at the Post Office, to stand in as Sub-Postmistress, at Marine
Drive Post Office, following the suspension of the Postmaster there, Lee
Castleton. I was informed that the suspension was due to the discovery of
unauthorised losses.
. [therefore ran the Marine Drive Post Office, between 23rd March 2004 and 21st
April 2004. Cath Oglesby was my line manager before this date and with whom
I had a good working relationship. Cath Oglesby remained my line manager
during the time at Marine Drive Post Office. I am unable to recall the frequency
of my communication with Cath Oglesby, before or during my time at Marine
Drive Post Office, due to the passage of time. I believe I would have provided
regular updates given the circumstances.
. In relation to the weekly balances at the Post Office, whilst I was there, I can
only comment from the information in my statement made 19th October 2006,
which I refer to, as I have no further recollection. I can see that:
Wednesday the 31st of March 2004 there was a shortage of £101.95.
Wednesday 8th April 2004 a surplus of £19.38
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Wednesday 14th April 2004 shortage of £10.76
Wednesday 21st April 2004 surplus £0.02
9. From my recollection, I do not think that I would have been concerned by any
of the differences, shortages or surplus. I can say this, as whilst I was a Sub-
Postmistress, in broad terms, I used to consider a balance of less than £20
either way, acceptable, given the volumes of cash and transactions.
10.1 cannot add anything further regarding the Horizon IT system that was in place
at the Marine Drive Post Office, to that, that is within my original statement made
19th October 2006. Specifically, in relation to the lottery error notices, I do not
recall any issues with Horizon. In relation to the shortage of £101.95, my
understanding and recollection is that this was pinpointed to the Monday of that
week and attributed to human error. I cannot remember anything further
regarding the computer IT freeze and reboot of the screen, than what is in my
original statement of 19th October 2006. I do not recall any further investigation
regarding these issues.
11.1 confirm I was contacted by a solicitor, Stephen Dilley, on behalf of the Post
Office, and he asked me to be a witness for the Post Office, regarding my time
at Marina Drive Post Office. This was in the case against Mr Lee Castleton. I
have considered all the correspondence I had with Mr Stephen Dilley:
a. [POL00071058}] — Initial contact letter from Stephen Dilley of Bond
Pearce LLP on 22 August 2006;
b. [POL00069572] — Letter to Stephen Dilley on 7 September 2006;
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. [POL00107444] — Email from Stephen Dilley on 27 September 2006
regarding my draft Witness Statement;
. [POL00069503] - Letter from Stephen Dilley to you enclosed revised
draft of Witness Statement, dated 4 October 2006;
. [POL00069497]— Attendance note of call between you and Stephen
Dilley on 6 October 2006 regarding my draft Witness Statement;
[POL00069455] - Letter from Stephen Dilley enclosing amended
Witness Statement to sign, dated 17 October 2006;
. [POL00069461] -— Attendance note of call to Stephen Dilley on 17
October 2006 to make further amendments to my Witness Statement.
. [POL00081700_070] — Letter from Stephen Dilley regarding hearing
availability, dated 25 October 2006;
[POL00071744] — Attendance note of call with Stephen Dilley on 29
November 2006 regarding the lottery payment / tickets;
[POL00069918] — Email from Stephen Dilley on 30 November 2006
tegarding Mr Castleton’s Witness Statements;
. [POL00069871] - Attendance note of call with Stephen Dilley on 1
December 2006 to discuss Christine Train’s Witness Statement;
[POL00069659] - Attendance note of call with Stephen Dilley on 22
December 2006 to discuss Christine Train’s Witness Statement;
. [POL00070060] — Attendance note of call between Stephen Dilley and
Lee Castleton on 4 January 2007;
. [POL00071881] — Letter from Stephen Dilley to Lee Castleton dated 4
January 2007;
. [POL00070064] - Attendance note of call with Stephen Dilley on 5
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January 2007 to discuss what happened during the evidence of the last
Post Office witness at trial; and
p. [POL00073768] — Email from Stephen Dilley to Mandy Talbot on 12
January 2007 outlining the hearing on 11 January 2007.
12.1 cannot remember the details of any of the conversations that took place
between myself and Mr Dilley. I do recall that I never met Mr. Dilley in person,
our communication was via email and telephone.
13.1 do not recall being made aware of anything about Mr Lee Castleton's case,
other than I was asked to give evidence regarding my time at Marina Drive Post
Office and the experience I had there.
14.In relation to software updates to the computers at Marine Drive Post Office
and the Tivoli log during my time there, I have no recollection of this other than
what is in my original statement [LCAS0000121]. I cannot therefore comment
as to any relevance or effect of either of these now.
15.1 do recollect attending at Court on a second occasion and giving evidence. I
do not know the date of this second hearing. I cannot recall the specific reason
or issues raised on this occasion, due to the passage of time. I simply remember
attending twice.
16. I recall being notified (at the relevant time) of the outcome of the case
[POL00004328]. I refer to the correspondence [POL00098862]. I had attended
as a witness, to give evidence of my time at Marina Drive Post Office, I therefore
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did not have any personal interest in the case or view upon it. I therefore cannot
say if I was surprised by the outcome of the case. I attended as a witness, as I
had been asked to and given a statement, I was then asked to give evidence
about what I had experienced, as a Sub-postmistress during my time at Marina
Drive Post Office.
17. I cannot add anything further to the original statement I made on 19th October
2006 or the documents I have been provided with, as I have little recollection
due to the passage of time. My reflections upon the case and of my involvement
are therefore also limited.
STATEMENT OF TRUTH
I believe the content of this statement to be true.
SIGNED..;
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Index to First Witness Statement of RUTH SIMPSON
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No URN Document Description Control Number
1. LCAS0000121 Witness Statement of Ruth Simpson I VIS00010361
dated 19 October 2006
2. POL00083031 First Witness Statement of Catherine I POL-0079594
Oglesby dated 21 January 2006
3. POL00071592 Second Witness Statement of I POL-0068155
Catherine Oglesby dated 10 October
2006
4. FUJ00122334 Witness Statement of Andrew Paul I POINQ0128548F
Dunks dated 12 October 2006
5. FUJ00122335 Exhibit AD1 to Witness Statement of I POINQ0128549F
Andrew Paul Dunks dated 12
October 2006
6. POL00083641 Witness Statement of Christine Train I POL-0080204
dated 29 November 2006
7. POL00069282 Witness Statement of Dorothy Day I POL-0065845
dated 29 November 2006
8. POL00069279 Transcript of Mr Castleton and Ms I POL-0065842
Train’s evidence in Post Office
Limited v Castleton, Case No:
HQ05X02706
9. POL00070183 Transcript of Ruth Simpson’s I POL-0066746
evidence in Post Office Limited v
Castleton, Case No: HQ05X02706
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10.
POL00073609
Catherine Oglesby's Summary of
events at Marine Drive Post Office
POL-0070172
41.
POL00071236
Note of Marine Drive Interview on 10
May 2000
POL-0067799
12.
POL00071058
Initial contact letter from Stephen
Dilley of Bond Pearce LLP on 22
August 2006
POL-0067621
13.
POL00069572
Letter from Ruth Simpson to
Stephen Dilley on 7 September 2006
POL-0066135
14.
POL00107444
Email from Stephen Dilley on 27
September 2006 regarding your draft
Witness Statement.
POL-0068307
15.
POL00069503
Letter from Stephen Dilley enclosing
revised draft of Witness Statement,
dated 4 October 2006
POL-0066222
16.
POL00069497
Attendance note of call between
Ruth Simpson and Stephen Dilley on
6 October 2006 regarding draft
Witness Statement
POL-0066060
17.
POLO00069455
Letter from Stephen Dilley enclosing
amended Witness Statement to sign,
dated 17 October 2006
POL-0066018
18.
POL00069461
Attendance note of call to Stephen
Dilley on 17 October 2006 to make
further amendments to Witness
Statement
POL-0066024
19.
POL00081700_070
Letter from Stephen Dilley regarding
POL-0078263_070
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hearing availability, dated 25
October 2006
20.
POL00071744
Attendance note of call between
Ruth Simpson and Stephen Dilley on
29 November 2006 regarding the
lottery payment / tickets
POL-0068307
21.
POL00069918
Email from Stephen Dilley on 30
November 2006 regarding Mr
Castleton’s Witness Statements
POL-0066481
22.
POL00069871
Attendance note of call with Stephen
Dilley on 1 December 2006 to
discuss Christine Train’s Witness
Statement
POL-0066434
23.
POLO0069659
Attendance note of call with Stephen
Dilley on 22 December 2006 to
discuss Christine Train’s Witness
Statement
POL-0066222
24.
POL00070060
Attendance note of call between
Stephen Dilley and Lee Castleton on
4 January 2007
POL-0066623
25.
POL00071881
Letter from Stephen Dilley to Lee
Castleton dated 4 January 2007
POL-0068444
26.
POL00070054
Attendance note of call with Stephen
Dilley on 5 January 2007 to discuss
what happened during the evidence
of the last Post Office witness at trial
POL-0066617
27.
POL00073768
Email from Stephen Dilley to Mandy
Talbot on 12 January 2007 outlining
POL-0070331
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the hearing on 11 January 2007
28.
POL00004325
Approved Judgment in Post Office
Limited v Castleton of His Honour
Judge Richard Harvey QC dated 22
January 2007
VIS00005393
29.
POL00098862
Email from Stephen Dilley on 23
January 2007 regarding the outcome
of the trial
POL-0098445
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