Ex-Post Office CEO Paula Vennells

[briansnail]

"lessons will be learnt...".

To right.
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I ride Brompton,Hetchins 531

[toontra]

Lesley Sewell (former Chief Information Officer at Post Office) is in tears and hyperventilating on being sworn in to give evidence.

We've seen everything now - arrogance, amnesia, deflection, bumbling and general obfuscation in every way - but this is something new. She held a senior position in several major companies. Unless she knows she's in deep trouble I can't think of any reason she would be so emotionally overwrought before a single question has been asked.

[Bonefishblues]

On a human level you can't see how waiting for months to be grilled by some of the sharpest minds in the country, having watched others go through it might affect one's state of mind, irrespective of the right or wrongs? Or maybe someone is experiencing mental health issues, like 1 in 4 of the UK population every year? (Source: Mind)

[Cowsham]

Lesley Sewell (former Chief Information Officer at Post Office) is in tears and hyperventilating on being sworn in to give evidence.

We've seen everything now - arrogance, amnesia, deflection, bumbling and general obfuscation in every way - but this is something new. She held a senior position in several major companies. Unless she knows she's in deep trouble I can't think of any reason she would be so emotionally overwrought before a single question has been asked.

The way she feels would be nothing compared with how SPM's felt as they and their children were ostracized in their own towns and villages and some given prison sentences. They'll have lost friends even after being cleared / vindicated. How awkward would that be returning from prison and facing the very people who talked behind their backs?

[toontra]

On a human level you can't see how waiting for months to be grilled by some of the sharpest minds in the country, having watched others go through it might affect one's state of mind, irrespective of the right or wrongs? Or maybe someone is experiencing mental health issues, like 1 in 4 of the UK population every year? (Source: Mind)

If you are going to tell the truth you'd have absolutely nothing to worry about.

[Bonefishblues]

On a human level you can't see how waiting for months to be grilled by some of the sharpest minds in the country, having watched others go through it might affect one's state of mind, irrespective of the right or wrongs? Or maybe someone is experiencing mental health issues, like 1 in 4 of the UK population every year? (Source: Mind)

If you are going to tell the truth you'd have absolutely nothing to worry about.

That's the intellectual position, of course. There is an entirely separate human response which I was illustrating for you. Why do people put public speaking second only to death in the list of things they fear? There's nothing to fear there, is there?

[Bonefishblues]

Lesley Sewell (former Chief Information Officer at Post Office) is in tears and hyperventilating on being sworn in to give evidence.

We've seen everything now - arrogance, amnesia, deflection, bumbling and general obfuscation in every way - but this is something new. She held a senior position in several major companies. Unless she knows she's in deep trouble I can't think of any reason she would be so emotionally overwrought before a single question has been asked.

The way she feels would be nothing compared with how SPM's felt as they and their children were ostracized in their own towns and villages and some given prison sentences. They'll have lost friends even after being cleared / vindicated. How awkward would that be returning from prison and facing the very people who talked behind their backs?

That was truly awful, you are right, and we have heard harrowing testimony from them - and of course you omit to mention the trauma that those who died by suicide as a direct result of this matter.

We cannot however put ourselves in others' position in terms of their emotional responses, and what I was illustrating is that there could indeed be reasons other than that advanced by our colleague for someone being in a fragile emotional state before they gave testimony.

[toontra]

I can see why she was nervous. Her evidence so far is that she either didn't see, didn't understand or can't remember - anything! It's almost as if she wasn't there

[toontra]

Lesley Sewell's evidence so far is the least convincing of any witness - and that's saying a lot. She can't remember any event in which she was, or should have been, involved. It's a blanket denial of any responsibility whatever, no matter how much documentation is shown to her which contradicts her evidence.

She was head of IT when this IT scandal was unfolding (or more precisely being covered up). Her heightened emotion seems to be a result of self pity and certainly not sympathy for the victims - otherwise she would actively be helping the enquiry and not stonewalling. It's frankly an insult to the victims and all those involved in the enquiry.

[Vorpal]

A number of posts have been removed from this thread.

Please argue nicely.

[simonineaston]

I can see why she was nervous. Her evidence so far is that she either didn't see, didn't understand or can't remember - anything! It's almost as if she wasn't there

Reminds me of several similar corporate controversies. We heard the same stance taken by Harding back when the comm.s company she headed lost a ton of users’ ppi. Ditto, those giving evidence to the Grenfell inquiry etc etc. etc..
This isn't a coincidence. The way these individuals (who lets recall, are paid eye watering salaries - “we must recruit The Best!” is the pathetic lie we’re treated to) are tutored by their legal team fits tightly into how corporate frameworks have been deregulated over the years. They know exactly what they can get away with and are becoming highly skilled at escaping any comeback from treating their employees and customers like dirt. All they want from us is our money. All other factors are nothing to them…

[Cowsham]

A number of posts have been removed from this thread.

Please argue nicely.

Thank you Vorpal I see you've weeded the other thread too.

[DaveReading]

If you are going to tell the truth you'd have absolutely nothing to worry about.

In my experience, a sizeable proportion of people called to give evidence in court find the experience stressful, some extremely so, and it's not because they are planning to tell lies.

[francovendee]

Is it the fear of being asked questions they don't wish to answer that brings about panic.

Their hope is they'll be able to get away with the stock, I don't recall seeing this.

No sympathy at all for these well rewarded people who knowingly put so many loyal employees in the dock.

[Cugel]

Is it the fear of being asked questions they don't wish to answer that brings about panic.

Their hope is they'll be able to get away with the stock, I don't recall seeing this.

No sympathy at all for these well rewarded people who knowingly put so many loyal employees in the dock.

There's a very good article on the notion and phenomenon of human shame in today's Guardian. (You have to wade through the weeds of articles about slebs, garish makeup fads, expensive restaurants, tele programmes and other junk to find it, mind).

Many in the corporate world lead lives in which moral dissonance is commonplace. When they come under examination, its inevitable that their feeling that they should be and are "doing the right thing" crumbles badly as their conscience has their past evil acts revealed in full by the spotlight of public examination.

Of course, their other inner psycho-engines will still try to preserve their public image, in this case by pretending outwardly that "I don't remember", whilst inwardly their conscience is taking them to the guillotine. Emotions revealing this psycho-churn are bound to show up!