New Developments in the Post Office IT Scandal
The number of convictions associated with the second Post Office IT scandal, currently under review by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), has significantly increased. The CCRC is now examining a total of 21 cases linked to Capture, a flawed IT system that was implemented across thousands of branches in the 1990s, prior to the infamous Horizon software.
Initially, only eight cases had been referred to the CCRC. In response to the fallout from these scandals, the Government has initiated a compensation scheme to support former sub-postmasters and their families who suffered devastating consequences, including job losses, home foreclosures, and significant financial burdens imposed by the Post Office.
However, experts suggest that the true extent of the Capture scandal may be far greater than currently acknowledged. An investigation by The i Paper last year uncovered that private prosecutions by the Post Office surged following the rollout of Capture in 1992, with over 200 prosecutions occurring within a mere three years. This alarming trend followed extensive reporting on Capture, which was notorious for its bugs and glitches that led to financial discrepancies for sub-postmasters attempting to reconcile their accounts.
Unlike the Horizon scandal, where more than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongfully prosecuted and had their convictions overturned through parliamentary legislation, the situation with Capture is different. The Government has indicated that it will not pursue mass legislative action to overturn convictions related to Capture. Instead, it is seeking for the CCRC to expedite the referral of these cases to the Court of Appeal.
As it stands, sub-postmasters with criminal convictions linked to Capture cannot receive compensation until their convictions are officially overturned. One notable case is that of Steve Marston, 69, who was prosecuted after using the Capture software. Marston asserts that he was coerced into pleading guilty to charges of theft and false accounting after auditors claimed that approximately £79,000 was missing from his branch’s accounts in Heap Bridge, Greater Manchester, in 1998. He maintains that he “never stole a penny” and began experiencing significant accounting issues once the Post Office introduced Capture.
Recently, Marston and other sub-postmasters affected by the Capture system met with representatives from the Department for Business and Trade to discuss potential compensation. He expressed his concerns regarding the CCRC’s findings about the 21 convictions, stating that he believes the actual number of victims is likely much higher. “There are certainly many individuals who are either hesitant to come forward or simply want to avoid reopening painful memories,” he remarked.
Government Response and Future Actions
In December, the Government announced plans to establish a redress scheme for victims of the Capture scandal, mirroring the initiative that was put in place for those affected by the Horizon scandal. Marston criticized the slow progress in obtaining compensation, urging the Government to take decisive action to overturn Capture convictions just as it had done for the Horizon victims.
“It’s taking far too long. I began this journey when I was 67, and now I’m 69—time is slipping away,” he lamented. “It appears increasingly unlikely that any meaningful resolution will occur until late this year, which will mean yet another year lost. As I approach 70, I’m not just worried about my situation; I’m also concerned for others affected, especially given that many are in their seventies or older. This is an age group where we are seeing individuals pass away.”
Marston highlighted the shared suffering of sub-postmasters convicted over Capture and those impacted by Horizon. “The devastation brought upon lives, leading to bankruptcy and immense distress, is remarkably similar, with the only difference being the software involved,” he stated. “The Government acted swiftly to exonerate Horizon victims and implement a compensation scheme; I fail to see why they cannot do the same for us.”
Liam Byrne, chair of the Business and Trade Committee, emphasized that there is a “strong case” for considering a blanket amnesty for those wrongfully convicted. While No 10 has not dismissed the possibility of a blanket pardon, they have cautioned that this situation may not be entirely parallel to that of Horizon, noting the complexities involved.
