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Post Office Horizon Scandal: Why Hundreds of People Were Unjustly Prosecuted
April 22, 2021
Updated May 24, 2024
Image source, Getty Images
A bill overturning the convictions of hundreds of subpostmasters has come into force after being introduced due to the general election.
Many were unfairly prosecuted after faulty software told them money was missing from their Post Office accounts.
What is the Post Office Horizon scandal?
More than 900 subpostmasters were prosecuted for theft due to incorrect information from a computer system called Horizon.
It was considered the most widespread miscarriage of justice in the United Kingdom.
Correios itself took many cases to court, prosecuting 700 people between 1999 and 2015.
A further 283 cases were brought by other bodies, including the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Many subpostmasters went to prison for false accounting and theft, and many were financially ruined.
How will Correios convictions be overturned?
It became law on Friday 24 May and applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Scottish Parliament is expected to pass its own bill.
Convictions will be automatically overturned if they are:
- processed by the Post Office or CPS
- for infractions committed within the scope of Correios activity between 1996 and 2018
- for relevant crimes such as theft, fraud and false accounting
- against subpostal agents, their employees, managers, family members or direct employees of the Post Office who work in a Post Office branch that used the Horizon system software
Affected subpostmasters will receive an interim payment or be able to accept a fixed and final offer of £600,000.
What was the effect on Post Office staff?
Many former deputy postmasters and postmasters say the scandal ruined their lives.
Some used their own money to cover non-existent deficits because their contracts said they were responsible for unexplained losses. Many faced bankruptcy or lost their livelihoods.
Marriages have collapsed and some families believe the stress has led to serious health problems, addiction and even premature death.
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Video caption, Victims of the Correios scandal tell their own stories of how they were accused of criminality.
What is Fujitsu’s Horizon system?
It was introduced by the Post Office in 1999.
Subpostmasters were quick to complain about bugs in the system after it falsely reported deficiencies – often worth many thousands of pounds – but their concerns were dismissed.
What is the Post Office Horizon public inquiry?
The fifth phase began on Tuesday 9 April, with activist Alan Bates being the first to appear.
Paula Vennells, chief executive between 2012 and 2019, gave evidence over three days at the end of May.
What other Horizon compensation schemes are in place?
Post Office Minister Kevin Hollinrake previously said the government had budgeted £1 billion for compensation.
More than 4,000 people have been informed that they are eligible under three schemes:
- The Group Litigation Order (GLO) Scheme is for the 555 former postmasters (excluding those with criminal convictions) who won the class action but received relatively small payouts after legal fees. They will now be offered £75,000 but many are expected to push for more
- The overturned convictions scheme offers those eligible a quick £600,000 settlement or the chance to negotiate a higher payout. Everyone is entitled to an “interim” payment of £163,000
- The Horizon Deficit Scheme is for sub-postmasters who were not convicted, or part of the GLO lawsuit, but who believe they have suffered disabilities because of Horizon. This group will receive a lump sum payment of £75,000
Professor Chris Hodges, chair of Horizon’s Independent Compensation Advisory Board, told the BBC that some individual compensation claims were “well in excess of £1 million”.