Post office Scandal - public inquiry

Why does racism have to be mentioned in everything these days? Racism from who? The Post Office, their customers, Horizon, Fujitsu, Vennells, the Government? Sub post offices in my experience were very often run by Asian people who, as you say, have a strong work ethic. There are also white ex-sub postmasters and mistresses here who were treated in the most appalling way. They have had to wait 20 years for any sort of inquiry. Their stories are harrowing but for the life of me I don't see why you mention racism.

I don't think that the Horizon computer system was discriminatory, Dinahmo. It seems to have been quite random in its choice of victims.

Though, in view of reporting on systemic racism in a number of organisations it 'might' be possible that racism played a part in believing the victim's stories. OTOH, I haven't heard of any subpostmasters/mistresses being free from prosecution.

This is a heartbreaking public scandal. It utterly ruined 100s of completely innocent people's lives.I sincerely hope that those responsible pay some sort of penalty.

I'm thinking more of 'possibly' the police, Sarnia. All these prosecutions had to go through the usual procedures.

If found guilty (and how can they not be?!) I'd like to see all of those individuals at fault fined the maximum possible personally payable immediately AND jailed for the longest sentence. I'd also like to see those wrongly accused afforded the maximum possible financial compensation even although I know it is the taxpayer who will foot the bill. I've heard of someone being offered the amount they 'paid back' as compensation. What a cheek and insult. Will it ever end? I know nothing can repay the awful injustices these people have suffered but we can at least try?

I agree with with Dinahmo (re racism) and Kim (re compensation) - there is more than a hint of racism here ….

Why has this taken so long. Many innocent people have been put through hell. DH has been following this for years and he’s appalled by it. The government minister responsible is still a government minister I believe (?).

MayBee70

Why has this taken so long. Many innocent people have been put through hell. DH has been following this for years and he’s appalled by it. The government minister responsible is still a government minister I believe (?).

The same with the Hillsborough disaster. 27 years of the victim's families fighting for justice. Disgraceful and disrespectful to take so long with these inquiries while the families suffer every day.

I can't understand why someone within the Post office IT Dept didn't twig that so many Post office managers where on the fiddle? Unbelievable! This is all shameful, utterly shameful. Lives destroyed, and reputation trashed.
With them all the way.

Unfortunately I was on the Jury for one of these cases. I maintained the accused innocence and have felt troubled by the case ever since. I'm so, so pleased the whole sordid affair is finally being looked into.

It does indeed seem utterly amazing that no-one in the PO noticed a link between lots of "cheating" staff and the introduction of the computer system. Unless it was usual to have this number of apparently dishonest staff - which I doubt - surely they must have noticed something.

I am so glad that our lovely old postmistress in the village retired shortly before all this started. She had worked her tripe out trying to get her head round all the technology she had to use - I dread to think what would have happened to her if she had been involved in it all - she was the hub of our small community.

What happened to these people is utterly appalling. Justice demands that those responsible also serve prison sentences as many of their "victims" did.

I agree that heads should roll over this. Those poor, poor people. To go from the centre of a community to a pariah overnight must be terrible.

They should be very well compensated - for the money they lost, for the trauma they suffered, and for the years of unemployment they probably went through as a result. Money can't pay back the loss of reputation, but there should be a genuine attempt to do so.

What is worrying is that, as Marina Hyde pointed out in her article, there seems to be a growing attitude that the computer cannot be wrong.

But computer programmes have real live people writing them, and installing them, who can be as prone to error as any other person.

Over all, the UK's experience with IT doesn't seem to be a particularly good one.

I was already aware of this Dinahmo and I feel absolutely gutted for the poor post masters and mistresses who have had to endure this awful ordeal. Some of them have served time in prison. It’s just awful.

I agree Sarnia, why does racism have to be mentioned here?

It's a disgrace and unbelievable that no one made the connection between these supposed shortfalls of money and a new computer package.

I was just about to post the same thing luckygirl. It's an absolute scandal, beyond heartbreaking for the families involved and surely criminal negligence deserving nothing less than jail sentences for those responsible.

Didn't the person ultimately responsible retire with a huge payoff and a very generous pension. Sorry but for the life of me I can neither remember her name nor the details.

Yes, Dinahmo and it is truly shocking.

I have been in tears seeing some of those poor people on television, some had been imprisoned, lost businesses and others had died/committed suicide.
Lives ruined, their families in despair.

The people running the Post Office in our town disappeared amid mutterings of wrongdoing - I don't know what happened to them but I reckon they must have been victims of this too.

As DH said - why on earth did no-one realise there were anomalies, why did no-one think it was odd that all these people were supposedly committing fraud, especially after a new computer system was installed?

No amount of compensation will make up for the distress caused to their lives.

Smileless

They knew from early on that there was a fault.

www.silicon.co.uk/e-regulation/governance/post-office-horizon-problems-345666

Esspee

Didn't the person ultimately responsible retire with a huge payoff and a very generous pension. Sorry but for the life of me I can neither remember her name nor the details.

Paula Vennells, Esspee

Not only CEO of the Post Office but an ordained priest!

I’ve followed this case for years, it’s absolutely scandalous these people were treated, like liars, made to pay money back they hadn’t taken, they lost their good names and employment. No one has been held responsible. No money can make up for all they they lost, but they should be paid for all those lost years. How they never linked a new computer system with tgecshortfall beggars belief. They should get the person responsible and take his assets, then he will know how these people felt.

Nobody has officially mentioned racism but it struck me when watching the news reports that it could have been an element. That's all. Racism is endemic in this country. Many of you may not have seen it but, having lived in Brixton during the riots in the 80s I can assure you that it did exist and still does.

Ahem. The civil protests please….

Allsorts, for 'the person' I would put MANY persons. It was not only one person who was negligent here. Let's have every last one of them sought out.

I think people did know Luckygirl and actively covered up the problem. There was dishonesty if not criminal activity from the people at the top.
I feel so sorry for the post office workers and their families, so many people affected and for so long.