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Post Office inquiry live: Paula Vennells denies trying to close down Horizon review - BBC News Post Office inquiry live: Paula Vennells denies trying to close down Horizon review - BBC News
(32 minutes later)
Inquiry counsel Jason Beer continues to probe Vennells on how many cases Second Sight were supposed to look into. Vennells is now shown an email from the former PR chief Mark Davies to her, in which he says there is a "real danger" in reviewing convictions from several years past which, he says, could raise questions about Horizon and have an impact on the Post Office's public perception.
Vennells is shown a briefing document for a meeting with Lord Arbuthnot indicating that she wanted to ask him for a review of "systemic defects" by using two or three cases. Jason Beer asks whether this email suggests Vennells should think about the media coverage likely to be generated when making a decision on how far back to review convictions.
After being pressed on whether such a systemic failure can be demonstrated from only a few examples, Vennells concedes that this isn't possible - but adds that Second Sight's report was only an "interim" one. "It could be read that way," Vennels replies.
Beer displays a number of emails on the screen highlighting that Second Sight should only look at a few cases, and asks her a series of questions about whether the Post Office was trying to restrict the scope of Second Sight's investigation. Beer says that Vennells' initial email had asked why they were not reviewing past cases going back several years. Davies' reply said that if the Post Office went back that far it would end up on the front page.
Was it your view that the investigation should end after 2 or 3 cases? Beer asks. "That's a grossly improper perspective, isn't it?" says Beer.
"I was not trying to close anything down, it's really important that I say that," Vennells says. "Yes it is, yes it is," Vennells replies.
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