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American, here. I remember first hearing about this (maybe a couple of years) and just being in complete shock. And not much can shock me nowadays. And reading
by game_the0ry 3y ago
American, here. I remember first hearing about this (maybe a couple of years) and just being in complete shock. And not much can shock me nowadays.
And reading this article just...I dont know what to say, honestly.
How could there a complete and total lack of justice? And in the modern western world - it feels like the western world is turning into one big failed state.
Those that have been wronged are owed a great deal. I am not religious, but if I was, I would pray for them.
- sp332 3y agoThe article says the public inquiry started in 2021 and is ongoing.
- pjc50 3y agoPublic inquries are 100% pointless. They have no power to jail people or impose fines.
- game_the0ry 3y ago> The article says the public inquiry started in 2021 and is ongoing. ...? That wont assuage the 700 people who were already wronged, 4 of whom committed suicide. Damage has been done, the inquiry is too little too late, and I am confident nothing will come of it.
- madaxe_again 3y agoIt will conclude in the 2030s, when anybody who could have been held accountable is long dead, or retired and overseas or too infirm to stand trial. This is how it goes in the U.K., far too frequently - particularly when public bodies or government connected parties are involved. They also aren’t typically about finding fault or figuring out who to blame, and don’t often result in criminal proceedings - they are about preventing reoccurrence.
- ed_elliott_asc 3y agoPart of the problem is that for historical reasons the post office can charge and prosecute people without the police needing to investigate. The post office was a part of the country /government (I’m not sure what the right term is tbh) and it was privatised but kept those powers.
- gpderetta 3y agoAs far as I know, technically anybody [with deep enough pockets] can initiate private prosecution in the UK.
- gnfargbl 3y agoThey can, but the CPS can always choose to take over the case -- and they are allowed to take over with the express intent of dropping the prosecution. https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/private-prosecutions https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/private-prosecutions
- zarzavat 3y agoHopefully this case will be the final nail in the coffin of private prosecutions. We don't need such things in the modern world.
- graemep 3y agoIn addition there were some cases prosecuted by the CPS: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/01/09/cps-keir-starmer-role-post-office-wrongful-convictions/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/01/09/cps-keir-starmer...
- neilwilson 3y agoThe Post Office remains part of the government. It was Royal Mail that was privatised. That a public corporation has persecuted these individuals makes it doubly worse. At any point the government minister in charge of the Post Office could have yanked chains and stopped it.
- donmcronald 3y agoI can barely comprehend it. They conspired to maliciously prosecute hundreds of people to cover up their own incompetence and the consequences of that are "give that trophy back to the king". The rich and powerful truly live in a different world than the rest of us.
- stevesimmons 3y ago> I am not religious, but if I was, I would pray for them. Ironically, Paula Vennells, Post Office CEO at the time, is deeply and publicly religious. She's an ordained Anglican priest.
- adolph 3y agoAnglican is the state religion in England, so that makes sense.
- pjc50 3y ago"Priest/CEO" is a really weird combination, though. Especially at the same time.
- ndsipa_pomu 3y agoAnd especially when she oversaw the malignancy of destroying people's lives so that she can collect her bonus. At least she has the decency to announce that she's giving back her award (CBE) after many years of gaslighting everyone and of course now that a public petition quickly got over a million votes. Paula Vennells needs to be locked up for a long time.
- anigbrowl 3y agoThanks capitalism. Sorry to be snarky, but I really do feel that he advent of Thatcherism/Reaganism led to massive erosion of moral values in favor of raw economic leverage.
- bufio 3y agoThe UK is pretty much a failed state.
- pjc50 3y agoYes. And the Tory press has been pushing us in the failing direction at every step.
- hermitcrab 3y agoNot yet. But it certainly feels to be heading in that direction: shit in the rivers, health services struggling, local councils going bankrupt, underfunded regulators, rampant profiteering by pals of the government during COVID, scapegoating of the most vulnerable.