Post Office Scandal Goes Beyond Faulty Horizon Software, Lawyer Says
According to a lawyer representing victims, the Post Office scandal extends far beyond the faulty Horizon software. Paul Marshall, who is representing former sub-postmasters, has stated that issues with third-party systems in Post Office branches have been overlooked.
A 2013 report, commissioned by the Post Office but not made public at the time, reveals that the presence of ATMs, lottery tickets, and other services in branches could help sub-postmasters avoid suspension. This report indicates that the Post Office was aware of problems with third-party systems within branches, separate from the issues with Horizon software.
Barrister Paul Marshall believes that as a result, there are no secure convictions against any sub-postmaster by the Post Office. He argues that evidence of third-party errors, such as ATMs, shows that the scandal extends far beyond the limited focus of bugs in Horizon.
However, the upcoming blanket exoneration legislation that will be introduced this summer will only overturn convictions that were based on erroneous Horizon evidence. Mr. Marshall asserts that postmasters who have had their appeals against convictions rejected by the Court of Appeal may have lost because their offenses did not fall within the narrow scope of Horizon issues. He explains that while Horizon was the only accounting system, other systems in branches, such as ATM machines and lottery tickets, were also processed by Horizon, despite not being part of the software.
The report by Detica, a consulting division of BAE Systems, concludes that “Post Office systems are not fit for purpose in a modern retail and financial environment.” This report was received four years before Chirag Siphura, a sub-postmaster in Surrey, was threatened with prosecution for ATM shortfalls in 2017. He was ordered to pay £57,000 and last year received interim compensation. He explains that the banks used to have remote access to the ATM and would carry out updates, but these updates would often result in incorrect figures. Mr. Siphura also states that the Post Office always believed the figures provided by the ATM were 100% correct and would trust the bank’s word over the sub-postmaster’s.
IT expert Jason Coyne, who was hired by Alan Bates and other sub-postmasters, submitted a report in 2016 as part of their High Court case. He describes his struggle to obtain information from the Post Office regarding third-party systems, such as ATMs. Mr. Coyne believes that many more people may have been affected by third-party systems, separate from those already identified as having Horizon issues.
Wendy Cousins, a sub-postmaster convicted of stealing £13,000 in 2005, died in 2022, less than a year after her conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal. Her husband, Paul Cousins, believes her conviction was a factor in her premature death from cancer. He also states that she was treated as a criminal from the start and was persuaded to plead guilty to avoid jail time. He hopes for her case to be reviewed again and for her to be exonerated.
A spokesperson for the Post Office has expressed their deep regret for the pain caused by the Horizon IT scandal and remains focused on supporting the inquiry. The Department for Business and Trade has also stated their commitment to overturning the convictions of hundreds of postmasters before the summer and addressing any further injustices through the Criminal Complaints Review Commission.
