Sir Alan Bates has referred to as for these answerable for the wrongful convictions of sub postmasters within the Seize IT scandal to be “brought to account”.
The paperwork, present in a storage by a retired laptop knowledgeable, describe the Seize system as “an accident waiting to happen”.
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11:28
Publish Workplace: The misplaced ‘Seize’ recordsdata
The unearthed Seize report was commissioned by the defence workforce for sub postmistress Patricia Owen and served on the Publish Workplace in 1998 at her trial.
It described the software program as “quite capable of producing absurd gibberish” and concluded “reasonable doubt” existed as to “whether any criminal offence” had taken place.
Ms Owen was discovered responsible of stealing from her department and given a suspended jail sentence.
She died in 2003 and her household had at all times believed the pc knowledgeable, who was resulting from give proof on the report, “never turned up”.
Picture:
Patricia Owen (proper) was convicted in 1998 of stealing from her publish workplace department. She died in 2003
The barrister stated he had no recollection of the case.
Victims and their legal professionals hope the newly discovered “damning” knowledgeable report, which can by no means have been seen by a jury, might assist overturn Seize convictions.
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1:49
What’s the Seize scandal?
‘These folks must be delivered to account’
Sir Alan, the main campaigner for victims of the Horizon Publish Workplace scandal, stated whereas “no programme is bug free, why [was the] Post Office allowed to transfer the financial risk from these bugs on to a third party ie the sub postmaster, and why did its lawyers continue with prosecutions seemingly knowing of these system bugs?”
He continued: “Whether it was incompetence or corporate malice, these people have to be brought to account for their actions, be it for Capture or Horizon.”
Greater than 100 victims have come ahead
Greater than 100 victims, together with those that weren’t convicted however who have been affected by the defective software program, have to date come ahead.
Seize was utilized in 2,500 branches between 1992 and 1999, simply earlier than Horizon was launched – which noticed a whole bunch wrongfully convicted.
The Felony Instances Overview Fee (CCRC), the physique answerable for investigating potential miscarriages of justice, is at present taking a look at quite a lot of Seize convictions.
“We have issued notices under s.17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1995 to Post Office Ltd requiring them to produce all material relating to the applications received.
“So far, POL have supplied some materials in relation to 17 of the circumstances and confirmed that they maintain no materials in relation to a different 5. The CCRC is awaiting a response from POL in relation to six circumstances.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade said: “Postmasters negatively affected by Seize endured immeasurable struggling. We proceed to take heed to those that have been sharing their tales on the Seize system, and have taken their ideas on board when designing the Seize Redress Scheme.”
