We speak to a sub postmaster from the Skegness area ahead of a crucial day at the Horizon inquiry

Tom Hedges eventually had his conviction quashed

Former Post office Chief Executive Paula Vennells
Author: Andy MarshPublished 22nd May 2024

A former Lincolnshire sub post master hopes the ex Post office boss will take some responsibility when she's questioned today at the Horizon IT Inquiry

Paula Vennells was the company's Chief Executive when a number of innocent people were wrongly convicted of fraud over faulty IT software.

We've been speaking to one of them.

Tom Hedges, ran Hogsthorpe Post Office was suspended and convicted in 2010 after almost 24 thousand pounds was unaccounted for - only in 2018 was his conviction quashed.

However he told us he wasn't bitter

I don't have hate in my heart - I won't allow it to destroy me

"Hate is something you can't keep in your heart because it only destroys you."

"I don't feel malice towards the people in the post office but I do want them to atone for what they've done."

"They need, in my terms, to confess what they've done."

"Certainly I can forgive them whether the state can forgive them is another matter."

"I don't have hate in my heart - I won't allow it to destroy me."

"It has destroyed some people."

I escaped going bankrupt by the skin of my teeth

"I'd like to hear them admit they've done these terrible things that I think is becoming very apparent."

"But nobody seems to be able to hold their hands up and say - yes it was me fair cop."

"I really do feel very sorry for her - but she's there of her own making."

"She's chose this path and now she's got to answer for that."

"I escaped going bankrupt by the skin of my teeth - I lived on benefits for years."

"I was 58 when I was convicted - that was a bad age to try and get a new job anyway."

"Stick a criminal conviction on it and it was - forget it."

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