To cause problems or prevent something from happening as it should.
I don’t want to give them a chance to throw sand in the gears.
He said “When mobile phone companies charge consumers fat penalties to leave, they’re throwing sand in the gears of competition.
Cambridge Dictionary
Nine Subpostmasters Share Their Heartbreaking Stories of the Post Office Scandal
The Post Office scandal remains one of the most shocking miscarriages of justice in British history, and its impact is heartbreakingly real. On January 10, 2024, nine subpostmasters appeared on BBC Breakfast to share their personal stories of devastation, resilience, and the pursuit of justice. These individuals, wrongfully accused due to the flawed Horizon software, describe the toll it took on their livelihoods, reputations, and families. Their voices reveal the human cost of institutional failure and raise urgent questions about accountability and reform.
Watch their stories and reflect on the courage it takes to confront such an overwhelming injustice.
Negen Subpostmasters Delen Hun Hartverscheurende Verhalen over het Post Office-schandaal
The Post Office scandal remains one of the most shocking miscarriages of justice in British history, and its impact is heartbreakingly real. On January 10, 2024, nine subpostmasters appeared on BBC Breakfast to share their personal stories of devastation, resilience, and the pursuit of justice. These individuals, wrongfully accused due to the flawed Horizon software, describe the toll it took on their livelihoods, reputations, and families. Their voices reveal the human cost of institutional failure and raise urgent questions about accountability and reform.
Watch their stories and reflect on the courage it takes to confront such an overwhelming injustice.
9 Sub-Postmasters (Post Office Scandal) Share Their Heartbreak Stories On BBC Breakfast [10.01.2024]
“Throw sand in the gears” can be considered similar to the expressions
to throw a spanner in the works” and “to put a spoke in someone’s wheel.”
All three expressions convey the idea of deliberately creating obstacles or hindrances to disrupt or impede progress or success.
They are idiomatic expressions used to describe actions that interfere with the smooth functioning or forward momentum of a process or plan.
A summary of the key points regarding Tom Hedges and his connection to the Post Office scandal:
- Role: Tom Hedges was an ex-subpostmaster for the Hogsthorpe Post Office.
- Victim of Horizon Scandal: He was among the dozens of innocent subpostmasters who were wrongly accused and convicted due to errors in the Horizon accounting software.
- Impact: Like many others affected by the scandal, Tom Hedges experienced significant personal and professional harm because of the false allegations and wrongful conviction.
- Speaker: He shared his story as a speaker in 2024, highlighting the injustices caused by the Horizon software and the Post Office’s mishandling of the situation.
Here are the key points about Janet Skinner and her involvement in the Post Office scandal:
- Role: Janet Skinner was an ex-subpostmaster at a Post Office branch in Hull, UK.
- Wrongful Conviction: She was falsely accused of theft due to discrepancies caused by the faulty Horizon accounting software.
- Prison Sentence: Janet was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to nine months in prison, separating her from her children and causing immense personal distress.
- Impact: The wrongful conviction deeply affected her family life and mental well-being, leaving a lasting mark on her and her children.
- Vindication: Like many other subpostmasters, Janet’s conviction was eventually overturned, highlighting the systemic failures of the Post Office and the injustice faced by those targeted.
Janet Skinner’s story is one of resilience in the face of institutional failure and injustice.
Background and Role in the Post Office
- Janet Skinner managed a Post Office in Hull, providing essential services to her community. She was diligent and proud of her work until errors in the Horizon software began to show unexplained shortfalls in her accounts.
The Accusations
- Despite protesting her innocence, Janet was pressured by Post Office officials to take responsibility for the discrepancies, which they falsely attributed to her. She was told to repay the alleged “missing” funds or face severe consequences.
The Trial and Conviction
- In 2006, Janet pleaded guilty to false accounting under immense pressure, as fighting the charges seemed impossible. She was handed a nine-month prison sentence, which she served. Her imprisonment left her unable to care for her two children, who were just 13 and 14 years old at the time.
The Personal Toll
- Her conviction brought not only public shame but also devastating consequences for her family. Her teenage daughter was forced to take on adult responsibilities, caring for her younger sibling while Janet was in prison. The emotional strain on her children and herself remains a profound part of her story.
Campaign for Justice
- Janet Skinner became one of the key voices in exposing the Post Office scandal. Her determination to clear her name was fueled by the desire to restore her family’s dignity and hold the Post Office accountable.
Overturned Conviction
- In April 2021, Janet’s conviction was quashed along with dozens of others. The Court of Appeal acknowledged that her prosecution was unjust, rooted in reliance on the flawed Horizon software.
Legacy and Significance
- Janet’s case serves as a powerful example of how institutional failings can destroy lives. It also underscores the resilience and courage of those who refused to be silenced.
Let me know if you’d like to delve further into any aspect of her story or connect it to the broader context of the Post Office scandal.
Connecting Janet Skinner’s story to the broader context of the Post Office scandal means placing her experience within the larger narrative of systemic injustice and failure that affected hundreds of subpostmasters. This approach could highlight key themes and implications, such as:
Systemic Failures:
- Janet’s case is one of over 700 subpostmasters wrongfully accused due to faults in the Horizon accounting software. Her story exemplifies how systemic failures in technology, management, and oversight led to widespread injustice.
Institutional Pressure:
- Like many others, Janet was coerced into pleading guilty, a tactic often used by the Post Office to avoid scrutiny of its software and practices. This reflects the broader culture of intimidation and denial within the institution.
Human Cost:
- Her wrongful conviction highlights the devastating personal and familial toll of the scandal. Connecting her story to others, such as Seema Misra or Noel Thomson, emphasizes the shared suffering of subpostmasters.
Accountability and Reform:
- Janet’s fight for justice ties into the larger movement that ultimately led to convictions being overturned and sparked calls for accountability and systemic reform. Her story can be used to illustrate how collective action brought these injustices to light.
Historical and Legal Significance:
- The Post Office scandal is now recognized as one of the UK’s largest miscarriages of justice. Janet’s case is part of the narrative that helped expose this injustice and prompted legal and parliamentary inquiries.
Blonde Girl Teleports
16 mei 2011
Cute blonde girl is quite careless and drops her wallet. Then she runs into a nearby taxi cab, while people chase after her trying to return her wallet to her. When they go to open the cab door, the blonde girl has disappeared. Suddenly, another identical blond girl appears in the car behind. Confused prank victims think that this woman must have magic teleporting powers.
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