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Ms Vennells joined the Post Office in 2007 as group network director before later progressing to managing director and eventually chief executive in 2012, a role she left in 2019 after handing in her resignation in the latter months of 2018.
However, she told the inquiry that she did not realise the Post Office brought criminal prosecutions against its own sub-postmasters until 2012.
Over approximately four hours of evidence, Ms Vennells broke down in tears no fewer than three times – becoming emotional when she apologised for telling MPs the Post Office was successful in every court case against sub-postmasters.
After detailing a number of cases in which the Post Office had not been successful after sub-postmasters blamed Horizon, Mr Beer asked: “Why were you telling these parliamentarians that every prosecution involving the Horizon system had been successful and had found in favour of the Post Office?”
After a short pause in which she appeared to compose herself, Ms Vennells said: “I fully accept now that the Post Office…”
She broke off her answer to grab a tissue and held her head in her hands for a brief moment before recomposing herself. Ms Vennells continued: “The Post Office knew that and I completely accepted.”
The former chief executive also sobbed when asked about her response to the suicide of a former sub-postmaster Martin Griffiths, who was wrongfully blamed for shortfalls amounting to £100,000.
She went on to break down in tears when pressed on an email which detailed eight cases of wrongfully prosecuted sub-postmasters, which she had described as “disturbing”.
Ms Vennells will resume giving evidence on Thursday.
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