Torbay MP 'appalled' by Post Office Scandal

Torbay MP Kevin Foster shared his views on the Post Office Horizon Scandal, backing moves for compensation and overturning convictions.

He called the treatment of the sub-postmasters “appalling”, and argued that the ability of the Post Office to prosecute cases should be reconsidered.

While no sub-postmaster in the Bay has publicly said they have been affected by the scandal, more than 900 were prosecuted across the country after faulty software wrongly made it appear that money was missing from their branches.

Brought into the public spotlight by the ITV drama ‘Mr Bates Vs The Post Office’, the scandal saw the Post Office use its prosecution powers to prosecute 700 sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses - an average of one a week - based on information from their computer accounting system known as Horizon. A further 283 cases were brought by other bodies including the Crown Prosecution Service.

Certain individuals faced imprisonment due to charges of false accounting and theft. Despite consistently bringing attention to issues with the software, numerous others suffered financial ruin.

After 20 years, campaigners have won the right to review their cases. Only 93 convictions have been overturned so far. According to government plans, victims can now sign a form declaring their innocence, leading to the reversal of their convictions and allowing them to claim compensation.

MP Kevin Foster said: “Whilst I have not had a chance to watch the ITV programme myself, I am aware of the appalling treatment of the sub-postmasters who were wrongly accused of theft based on flawed evidence from the Horizon IT system.

“Victims' accounts of the impact of these prosecutions are harrowing: some served prison sentences; many had their livelihoods and life savings decimated; marriages broke down; four committed suicide; others passed away before being able to clear their names; and many were ostracised by their local communities and as a result failed to find alternative work.”

Backing moves for compensation, Foster welcomed the introduction of a one-off £75,000 payment for the 555 ex-postmasters whose group court case helped to expose the injustice. For those who were wrongly criminally charged, a new law will also overturn convictions and provide £600,000 of compensation.

Foster added: “Finally, all those involved with this scandal at a senior level in the Post Office should not retain any honours they received due to their role given the damage done to the service and those affected. It is therefore right Paula Vennells returned her CBE, but it should not have taken the recent ITV Drama to shame her into doing so”.