Secret papers reveal Post Office knew its court defence was false
Secret documents have surfaced showing the Post Office was aware its courtroom defense over sub-postmaster prosecutions was baseless.
In a shocking revelation by the BBC, a draft report indicates that, despite knowledge to the contrary, the Post Office unjustly pursued legal action against sub-postmasters, costing £100 million of public funds.
This report underscores that the Post Office was informed by 2017 that discrepancies sub-postmasters were accused of could have originated from faults in the Horizon IT system or unauthorized modifications by external operators, yet continued to blame the sub-postmasters.
In the landmark Bates v Post Office Ltd case, evidence was disregarded that could have exonerated the accused, painting a damning picture of how the Post Office handled the situation.
The case pertained to over 900 sub-postmasters who faced wrongful prosecution due to Horizon system errors, a system developed by Fujitsu. A whistleblower's testimony alongside the "Bramble" report by Deloitte unveiled that the Post Office ignored clear signs of IT system flaws, even knowing that Fujitsu staff had the means to alter financial records without detection.
Despite these revelations, the Post Office's legal defense boldly denied the possibility of system errors causing significant discrepancies.
This stance is contradicted in the Bramble report, which highlighted the lack of oversight on who among Fujitsu staff had access to the system, presenting a risk of untraceable transaction alterations.
The case concluded in favor of the sub-postmasters in 2019, marking a pivotal moment in acknowledging the Horizon system's deficiencies. However, the compensation awarded was significantly less than the costs incurred by the victims, due largely to the expensive legal battle.
This scandal has prompted a public inquiry, seeking to offer compensation and determine accountability. The Post Office has expressed regret over the saga, committing to rectifying the harm caused, with a total of £179 million allocated to affected postmasters so far.
Fujitsu has also apologized, pledging cooperation with the inquiry and discussions on further reparations. The forthcoming stages of the inquiry are expected to delve deeper into the issues unveiled, including the misuse of public funds and potential misconduct in the legal defense mounted by the Post Office.
This report underscores that the Post Office was informed by 2017 that discrepancies sub-postmasters were accused of could have originated from faults in the Horizon IT system or unauthorized modifications by external operators, yet continued to blame the sub-postmasters.
In the landmark Bates v Post Office Ltd case, evidence was disregarded that could have exonerated the accused, painting a damning picture of how the Post Office handled the situation.
The case pertained to over 900 sub-postmasters who faced wrongful prosecution due to Horizon system errors, a system developed by Fujitsu. A whistleblower's testimony alongside the "Bramble" report by Deloitte unveiled that the Post Office ignored clear signs of IT system flaws, even knowing that Fujitsu staff had the means to alter financial records without detection.
Despite these revelations, the Post Office's legal defense boldly denied the possibility of system errors causing significant discrepancies.
This stance is contradicted in the Bramble report, which highlighted the lack of oversight on who among Fujitsu staff had access to the system, presenting a risk of untraceable transaction alterations.
The case concluded in favor of the sub-postmasters in 2019, marking a pivotal moment in acknowledging the Horizon system's deficiencies. However, the compensation awarded was significantly less than the costs incurred by the victims, due largely to the expensive legal battle.
This scandal has prompted a public inquiry, seeking to offer compensation and determine accountability. The Post Office has expressed regret over the saga, committing to rectifying the harm caused, with a total of £179 million allocated to affected postmasters so far.
Fujitsu has also apologized, pledging cooperation with the inquiry and discussions on further reparations. The forthcoming stages of the inquiry are expected to delve deeper into the issues unveiled, including the misuse of public funds and potential misconduct in the legal defense mounted by the Post Office.
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