Post Office inquiry dwell updates: Former chief exec David Smith giving proof | EUROtoday

Sir Michael is being requested in regards to the case of Julie Kay – nee Wolstenholme – a former sub-postmistress whose life was turned the wrong way up when her Post Office department was shuttered in 2000.

Because of Horizon, she could not make her accounts stability and so her enterprise was suspended by the Post Office.

It led to her workers being laid off and the breakdown of her household. She and her kids ended up sleeping in a caravan in her father or mother’s backyard.

In her witness assertion to the inquiry, Kay mentioned it meant her “future just disappeared”.

When the Post Office started civil proceedings in 2003 to get better what they mentioned was lacking cash, Kay’s solicitor enlisted an IT skilled who regarded into Horizon and located the expertise might be defective.

In the tip, the Post Office settled out of court docket with Kay and paid her compensation, although she by no means bought her enterprise again.

Sir Michael tells the inquiry he was not made conscious of the settlement with Kay, and was by no means instructed about systemic Horizon points whereas he was with the Post Office.

Sir Wyn Williams interjects to ask how such a “significant sum” of cash could possibly be paid out with out the board being made conscious. Sir Michael says he ought to have been instructed however wasn’t.