Family of Sub-Postmistress Demands Justice Following IT Scandal
The family of Patricia Owen, a sub-postmistress whose life was irrevocably impacted by a second IT scandal at the Post Office, is expressing deep frustration at the slow pace of justice. They have made it clear that they cannot wait “years” for her name to be cleared. Ms. Owen’s prosecution is one of 27 cases currently under consideration by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), linked to a software known as Capture, which was implemented by the Post Office in the 1990s.
Sub-postmasters reported that this software was flawed and frequently caused discrepancies in their accounts. Many were pressured to repay alleged shortfalls, leading to job losses and, in some cases, criminal charges. An investigation has revealed that Post Office executives were aware of the issues surrounding Capture yet continued to prosecute sub-postmasters regardless. The government has now acknowledged a “reasonable likelihood” that Capture was responsible for these discrepancies and is in the process of establishing a new compensation scheme.
This scandal has roots that trace back over three decades, and victims are urging both the Post Office and the government to act swiftly to deliver justice. Patricia Owen, who was convicted of theft in 1998, sadly passed away in 2003, long before the legal battles surrounding the Horizon scandal began. She was a well-respected member of her community in Canterbury, Kent, until the Post Office accused her of stealing a mere £6,000 from her branch.
Throughout her career, Ms. Owen had managed her accounts using hand-written ledgers, but began facing difficulties after she paid the Post Office £2,000 to utilize the Capture computer system. She steadfastly denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty when the Post Office pursued a private prosecution against her. Her daughters, Juliet Shardlow and Deborah Linford, revealed that Ms. Owen had even arranged for a computer expert to testify about the faults in the Capture system; however, the expert never appeared at her trial, leading to her conviction by jury.
Ms. Owen was handed a six-month prison sentence that was suspended for two years, after which she never fully recovered from the ordeal. “It destroyed my mum. Her world came to an end when she lost her Post Office and was prosecuted. It was awful,” Juliet recounted. “She was shunned by our community, and it was like someone had turned off a light in her life. She withdrew from everyone. It was heart-wrenching to witness, especially since she had always been such a strong woman.”
Juliet recalled the devastating impact of the media coverage surrounding the court case, stating, “Our family sold newspapers, and my dad burned all the copies from that day in the back garden. It brought shame upon them, and they had done nothing wrong.”
A spokesperson for the CCRC stated, “We are actively collaborating with the Department for Business and Trade and the Post Office to identify other cases that may have been affected by Capture. Reviewing criminal cases from decades ago poses significant challenges due to the limited documentation available. However, we encourage anyone who believes their conviction or that of a relative might have been impacted by the Capture system to reach out to us.”
The Department for Business and Trade is now confronting hundreds of new compensation claims related to errors caused by Capture, having already allocated at least £1 billion to address claims related to the Horizon system from 1999 to 2015.
- Among the new claimants is the family of Peter Lloyd-Holt, who passed away at the age of 75 in 2021 without having the opportunity to exonerate himself.
- He was dismissed from his position as a sub-postmaster in Bolton in 1994 after unexplained shortfalls appeared in his accounts.
His widow, Agnes, along with their children Paul, Simon, Clare, and Mark, has sought the assistance of Hudgell Solicitors, who have previously supported numerous victims of the Horizon scandal, in gathering evidence for their case. Mark expressed their determination to pursue justice, stating, “While we appreciate the government’s announcement regarding support for overturning convictions and seeking compensation, we are frustrated by their repeated references to a lack of evidence, and their insistence that Capture ‘may have caused’ the shortfalls. We want unequivocal acknowledgment that my dad, along with many others, were innocent victims, just like those affected by Horizon.”
Mark elaborated on the challenges they face in gathering evidence, saying, “My father submitted all his documentation to prove his innocence, including ledgers and spreadsheets, but they were never returned. Consequently, we have very little evidence to clear his name. Documents like bank statements have been lost over time, which is why we have engaged specialist solicitors to assist us.” He added, “The shadow of this incident loomed over my father’s life and continues to affect our family deeply.”
Solicitor Neil Hudgell noted that the firm is advising a “significant number” of families impacted by Capture, including many relatives of deceased sub-postmasters. Hudgell’s team is working closely with the government to facilitate a streamlined process for overturning convictions through the CCRC. They are also assisting families, like the Lloyd-Holt family, in compiling evidence to submit for a new compensation scheme for Capture victims, which is set to launch later this year.
Mr. Hudgell remarked, “The tragic story of Peter is one we have encountered repeatedly as the full extent of injustice and suffering inflicted by the Post Office has come to light over the past few years. While Peter was not prosecuted, the events profoundly affected his life and that of his family.
“The victims of Capture have faced the longest wait for any form of exoneration and compensation. There are potentially hundreds affected, with many others who are no longer alive. From those who have approached us, we have discovered that the evidence required is increasingly difficult to obtain. The government has publicly acknowledged that the passage of time since the Capture system was in operation will pose challenges in procuring evidence related to shortfalls, suspensions, terminations, prosecutions, and convictions.”
“Our message is that individuals should not be deterred by a lack of documentation. If they suspect that they or their relatives were affected by accounting issues from 1992 to 1999, we urge them to come forward, including family members acting on behalf of loved ones who have since passed away.”
