Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells will hand back her CBE following the scandalous prosecution of hundreds of innocent subpostmasters.
Vennells consistently denied there was any issues over the Horizon IT system and she was appointed the CBE in December 2018.
More than 1.2 million people signed a petition calling for her to be stripped of the CBE following the ITV drama which highlighted the miscarriage of justice.
In a statement, Vennells said, “I continue to support and focus on co-operating with the Inquiry and expect to be giving evidence in the coming months.
“I have so far maintained my silence as I considered it inappropriate to comment publicly while the Inquiry remains ongoing and before I have provided my oral evidence.
“I am, however, aware of the calls from subpostmasters and others to return my CBE.
“I have listened and I confirm that I return my CBE with immediate effect.
“I am truly sorry for the devastation caused to the sub-postmasters and their families, whose lives were torn apart by being wrongly accused and wrongly prosecuted as a result of the Horizon system.
“I now intend to continue to focus on assisting the Inquiry and will not make any further public comment until it has concluded.”
Jo Hamilton, was wrongfully convicted in 2008 of stealing thousands from the village shop in South Warnborough, Hampshire, she said, I am “glad.”
“It’s not just about her CBE, it’s about how disgusting the whole thing is,” she told PA.
“We’re all sick and tired of people taking money, being paid exorbitant amounts of money, and politicians taking absolutely no notice of you whatsoever… I think the people are just sick of it.”
She added, “I’m glad she’s given it back.
“It’s a shame it took just a million people to cripple her conscience.”
Varchas Patel, whose father Vipin was wrongfully convicted of fraud in 2011 as he was being accused of stealing £75,000 from his Post Office branch in Oxford.
He said, “My initial reaction is good, I’m glad. She doesn’t deserve that CBE, she never did deserve that CBE.
“Now the big question for me is who gave her that CBE?
“When she was given that CBE… there were two other things that happened – one, she was given a CBE, two, she was given a seat at the Cabinet Office and three, she was given a job as the chair of the Imperial College (Healthcare NHS Trust).
“They gave her three golden handshakes for fighting Mr (Alan) Bates in court.”
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