Paula Vennells advised ‘there isn’t any method out’ by Post Office scandal sufferer

A former subpostmistress has warned ex-Post Office boss Paul Vennells that campaigners want the truth and she is “heading into the corner where there’s no way out”.

Jo Hamilton was falsely accused of stealing £36,000 from the branch she ran in South Warnborough, Hampshire, in 2006 and was persuaded to plead guilty to the lesser charge of false accounting to avoid going to jail. Her conviction was overturned in 2021. Ms Hamilton, who was played by Monica Dolan in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, said if she was in Ms Vennells’ position, she would “just put my hands up” and say, “I’m really sorry and this is what happened’.

It comes as the former Post Office boss is due to give evidence to the Inquiry this week during an explosive three-day hearing. Ms Vennells, who was chief executive of the Post Office from 2012 to 2019, will face a grilling about what the firm knew about issues with the faulty IT system and when. Between 1999 and 2015, more than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted as the Horizon accounting software made it look like they were swindling cash.

Ahead of Ms Vennells’ testimony, Ms Hamilton, 66, said: “We just want the truth. You’d have thought a bit of her humanity would have come out and she should have done the right thing. I don’t know – is she feeble? Is she really a feeble person? Was she over-promoted? The whole thing I find bizarre. I’m really intrigued to know what she’s going to come out with. I’m not expecting anything, so anything she gives us will be a bonus – but I would love her just to tell the truth.”

The inquiry is yet to hear from Ms Vennells substantially, until today, but a document submitted by her lawyers ahead of a preliminary hearing in 2021 said she was “deeply disturbed” by the judgments in the cases against lead campaigner Alan Bates and Ms Hamilton in which Horizon was found to be faulty.

Ms Hamilton said: “If I was her, I wouldn’t be in that position in the first place, but if I was her I would just put my hands up now and say ‘do you know what, we’re all in it up to our necks, I’m really sorry and this is what happened’ and then take it on the chin. You can fight all you like, the documents are there – but eventually she’s heading into the corner where there’s no way out.”

Solicitor Neil Hudgell, whose firm represents Ms Hamilton and 74 other subpostmasters, said: “Our clients have waited a very long time to hear Ms Vennells’ evidence, and it goes without saying that the week ahead is of monumental significance.” He added: “Victims of this scandal are re-traumatised every time they hear denial, untruth or subterfuge and can’t begin to move on without answers, accountability and genuinely expressed regret and sorrow. We sincerely hope that Ms Vennells will deliver on her promise to bring much needed clarity and understanding to these proceedings.”

It comes as data shows victims of the Post Office scandal have received less than £1,000 on average in compensation for personal injury and ill health. Freedom of Information requests show that only £2million has been paid out to 2,208 who received their final compensation under the largest scheme, according to the Telegraph. Hundreds of subpostmasters are still awaiting full compensation despite the Government announcing those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for £600,000 payouts.