Post Office facing paying millions in compensation to staff wrongly accused of taking missing cash because of an IT glitch

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... litch.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sub-postmasters launch High Court compensation bid against Post Office
125 persecuted ex-workers are taking legal action against 'corporate bully'
Many have been jailed, forced into bankruptcy and had reputations ruined
Were allegedly wrongfully convicted or unfairly forced to pay back 'missing cash' due to glitches on the Post Office's controversial Horizon IT system


By CHRIS BROOKE FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 01:09, 2 May 2016 | UPDATED: 03:28, 2 May 2016

Sub-postmasters, who were allegedly wrongfully convicted or unfairly forced to pay back 'missing cash' due to IT glitches, have launched a mass High Court compensation claim against the Post Office.

So far 125 persecuted former Post Office workers have teamed up to take legal action against the 'corporate bully' and many more are likely to join in the claim that could cost the publicly-owned company millions in damages.

Many dozens of Post Office staff been jailed, forced into bankruptcy and had their reputations ruined in what has been described as one of the most widespread miscarriages of justice in the UK this century.

The group secured external funding to cover all costs for the legal case in return for a cut of the proceeds if they are successful.

The Criminal Courts Review Commission (CCRC) has also been considering applications from at least 15 sup-postmasters who were prosecuted in cases related to the Post Office's controversial Horizon software system. The body, which can send cases to the Appeal Court, has been looking at the claims for a year and is likely to make a ruling next month.

The High Court case was revealed by a statement from the organisation Justice for Sub-postmasters Alliance (JFSA) in which it accused the Post Office of 'corporate blindness and arrogance' by its repeated refusal 'to accept the truth.'


It stated: 'Denial and cover up has been the only response from this government supported organisation. Therefore in order to finally bring resolution and redress to those who have had to suffer injustice by a corporate bully abusing its power, we have had to issue proceedings against it in the High Court.'

Alan Bates, the alliance founder, said: 'None of us would be involved if we didn't think we would win and we would not have secured legal support and finance if people didn't believe in it.'

The Daily Mail revealed the scandal of computer faults being blamed for wrecking dozens of lives three years ago.

Branch 'losses' identified by the computer system led to sub-postmasters having to hand over thousands or tens of thousands of pounds. Others were ruthlessly prosecuted for false accounting or theft – with many feeling pressured into pleading guilty in a plea bargain deal to avoid jail.

Last April an independent report by forensic accountants Second Sight – hired by the Post Office to investigate the Horizon system – suggested discrepancies could have been caused by computer failures, cyber criminals or human error.

It also accused the Post Office of failing 'in many cases' to identify the 'root causes of shortfalls' before starting civil or criminal proceedings.

The report said the Post Office failed to provide the accountancy firm with the documentation required and 'terminated' their contract before the research was finished.

Demands for a full judge-led inquiry followed, but with the Post Office refusing to accept wrong-doing sub-postmasters have now turned to the courts for justice.

Jo Hamilton, 58, ran the sub-post office in the Hampshire village of South Warnborough and was prosecuted over an alleged £36,000 shortfall. She always insisted she took no money but admitted a false accounting charged to avoid being jailed for theft.

Mrs Hamilton, who is one of the people involved in the High Court claim and CCRC review, said yesterday: 'I am absolutely positive we are going to win. We have so much evidence now that we didn't have when we first started fighting for justice. We've got masses of evidence and I think they're in big trouble.'

She described victims like herself as 'law-abiding middle aged people' whose lives have been unfairly ruined.

The Post Office has refused to accept blame. It has long said the number of complaints about the IT system was a 'tiny fraction' of the 500,000 people who used it effectively.

A Post Office spokeswoman said: 'We are aware of a claim and will be defending our position through the legal processes.'

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The Daily Mail revealed the scandal of computer faults being blamed for wrecking dozens of lives three years ago.

Really, revealed

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... on#p291323" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Manchester Evening news in July 2010

reported is a more accurate description

[daveyeff]

how typically arrogant of them to refuse to take the blame. they go on as if they are totally flawless.