Twenty-one Seize circumstances have now been submitted to the Prison Instances Overview Fee (CCRC) for evaluate.
Earlier than Christmas, it was round eight.
They relate to the Seize computing software program, which was utilized in Submit Workplace branches within the Nineties earlier than the notorious defective Horizon system was launched.
Lots of of sub-postmasters had been wrongly accused of stealing after Horizon software program brought on false shortfalls in department accounts between 1999 and 2015.
A report final 12 months discovered that there was an inexpensive probability that the Seize accounting system, used from the early Nineties till 1999, was additionally chargeable for shortfalls.
If the CCRC finds vital new proof or authorized arguments not beforehand heard earlier than, circumstances could be referred again to the Courtroom of Enchantment.
Extra on Submit Workplace Scandal
Lawyer for victims, Neil Hudgell from Hudgell Solicitors, says the following steps for the Seize circumstances and the CCRC are nonetheless “some months away”.
He stated he’s additionally hopeful that the primary circumstances may very well be referred to the Courtroom of Enchantment earlier than the top of this 12 months.
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Lawyer Neil Hudgell described victims of the Seize IT system as ‘hideously broken individuals’
“Certainly we will certainly be lobbying,” he stated. “The CCRC will be lobbying, the advisory board will be lobbying any interested parties, that these are hideously damaged people of advancing years who need some peace of mind and the quicker that can happen the better.”
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In December the federal government stated it will supply ‘redress’ to Submit Workplace Seize software program victims
‘We did not discuss it’
Amongst these submitted to the CCRC – Pat Owen’s Seize case was the primary.
Her household have stored her 1998 conviction for stealing from her put up workplace department a secret for 26 years.
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Juliet Shardlow exhibits Sky Information paperwork which might clarify discrepancies logged by Seize
Pat was a former sub-postmistress, who was discovered responsible and given a two-year suspended sentence.
She died in 2003 from coronary heart failure.
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David Owen and his spouse Pat in happier occasions
Her daughters describe her as coming residence from court docket after her conviction “a different woman”.
“We didn’t talk about it,” stated Juliet Shardlow. “We didn’t talk about it amongst ourselves as a family, we didn’t talk about it with the extended family.
“Our prolonged household do not know.”
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Juliet Shardlow stated her mum Pat was a unique individual after her conviction
David Owen, Pat’s husband, stated she misplaced a number of weight after her conviction and at 62 years outdated “looked like an old gal of 90”.
Seize proof by no means heard in court docket
Pat’s household stored all of the paperwork from her case secure for over 20 years and now a key piece of proof could flip the tide on her conviction, and doubtlessly assist others.
A doc summarising the findings of an IT knowledgeable described the pc Pat used as having “a faulty motherboard”.
It additionally said that this “would have produced calculation errors and may have been responsible for the discrepancies subsequently identified by Post Office Counters’ Security and Investigation team.”
The household say they by no means discovered precisely why he did not present up at court docket.
David stated there was a pc all arrange within the courtroom for the knowledgeable to make use of to indicate malfunctions.
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David Owen stated his spouse Pat by no means anticipated to lose her court docket case
“I heard, now I can’t remember who from, that he’d done work for the Post Office,” he stated.
“If he turned up to be a witness in court for us to he wouldn’t get any more work from the Post Office.”
Regardless of greatest efforts the knowledgeable has by no means been tracked down. The Submit Workplace has declined to remark.
David additionally described how his spouse by no means anticipated to lose her case.
“She was so confident. She knew she didn’t do anything wrong,” he stated.
“But when the guilty verdict came out she actually fell to her knees in the dock crying her eyes out shaking.”
He stated the decide then requested if he wished to say something, and David stated he bought up in court docket and spoke at size about his spouse’s innocence.
The federal government introduced in December that they are going to be establishing a redress scheme for Seize victims, just like Horizon.
To this point round 100 individuals who suffered after being accused of stealing from their department, whereas utilizing Seize, may very well be eligible for redress.
