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Nick Wallis

22 Mar, 19 tweets, 4 min read

Welcome to Court 4 of the Royal Courts of Justice for the first day of a 4 day hearing during which 42 former Subpostmasters are hoping to have their criminal convictions quahed. This will be a live-tweet thread of proceedings, due to start in 2 minutes…
#PostOfficeScandal

… I am one of two people from the media allowed in the main court. Sam Tobin from the Press Association is sitting on the press benches and I know Tom Witherow from the Daily Mail is trying to get in….

… So far this morning I think have bumped into Tracy Felstead, Jo Hamilton, Seema Misra, Janet Skinner and Nicki Arch - all campaigning Subpostmasters. It’s very strange as they are all here on their own - no partners or supporters have been allowed due to social distancing...

…. There are two courts in use today (and the hearing is open to those who have applied via videolink). Court 5 is the overspill court. I can see Seema, Jo and Tracy have made it into this court. Neil Hudgell is here too - the solicitor representing...

… the majority of appellants, the rest are mainly barristers….

42 Subpostmasters are hoping to get their convictions quashed this week. 39 almost certainly will either this week or within the next month or so. Three remain in doubt. Whether an order...

…. or multiple orders will be issued to quash the convictions this week is not clear.

I am led to believe a final ruling will not be made until April, but that doesn’t necessarily stop orders being made in advance of a considered ruling.

… As I have absolutely no idea how much documentation I will get to see or what I will be allowed to report over the next 4 or 5 days, I thought I would start the week by publishing some information I know I can put in the public domain...

… the heavily redacted board minutes from the Post Office Project Sparrow board sub-committee, which was set up to discuss the various issues arising from the 2013 Complaint and Mediation Scheme.
postofficetrial.com/2021/03/projec…

We are underway. Three judges sitting led by Lord Justice Holroyde. The clerk is reading out the names of all the appellants. “The Queen versus Jo Hamilton… Scott Darlington.. Pamela Lock…” et al

LJH says to those who are attending remotely that he hopes they will be able to observe and hear the proceedings.

[PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERYTHING I TWEET IS A SUMMARY OR SYNOPSIS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING OR BEING SAID...

… NOTHING IS A DIRECT QUOTE UNLESS IT IS IN “DIRECT QUOTES”]

LJH confirms no need for reporting restrictions. Journalists may live-tweet proceedings in accordance with the usual principles.

[Phew.]

It looks like Tim Moloney QC (who represents the vast majority of appellants) will take the lead for the appellants.
He asked been asked to speak up.

TM is reading out which QCs are representing who for the benefit of the court.

Brian Altman QC, Zoe Johnston QC, Simon Baker QC and Jacqueline Carey are representing the Post Office.

@ccrcupdate

TM we are going to get general submissions in relation to grounds 1 and 2.

[Ground 1 is the largely agreed @ccrcupdate argument that the lack of disclosure means convictions should be quashed.
Ground 2 is that the prosecutions were an affront to the public conscience. The PO...

… is contesting 38 appellants on the second ground. More here:
postofficetrial.com/2020/10/court-…]

TM the appellants before this court were proscuted between 2000 and 2013. 27 pleaded guilty.

TM explaining that limb 1 is that appellants did not or could not have a fair trial “where there was inadequate investigation or full and adequate disclosure was not made” they are not being contested.

TM we say the 39 cases have a similar or identical nature. lack of investigation or disclosure. Material non-disclosure made the proceedings unfair and the convictions unsafe. It is a matter for the court to decide if the convictions are unsafe.

TM Horizon was essential to the allegations against the 39 appellants against who concessions have been made. the integrity of the system means there are issues with whether discrepancies in fact existed.