Post Office Scandal 

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Latest news on the Horizon scandal, also known as the Post Office Horizon IT scandal or Post Office scandal, with coverage of the public inquiry, subpostmasters and sub-postmasters, wrongful convictions, compensation and redress, Fujitsu, Paula Vennells, Alan Bates, the police investigation and the Capture software.

The Horizon scandal centres on Horizon, an accounting and stocktaking system that the Post Office introduced to its branches from 1999, supplied by Fujitsu. Faults in the software produced apparent shortfalls, and subpostmasters and subpostmistresses were held personally liable. Hundreds were prosecuted for theft, fraud or false accounting, in a miscarriage of justice widely regarded as among the worst in British legal history.

Much of today's coverage follows the long effort to establish who knew what, and when. The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, chaired by Sir Wyn Williams, has examined the evidence, and its findings and recommendations are closely watched. Alongside it, the Metropolitan Police's Operation Olympos is investigating possible offences, including perjury and perverting the course of justice, and any charging decisions are expected to take time.

Putting things right has proved difficult. Parliament passed legislation in 2024 to quash many Horizon-related convictions, and several redress schemes now exist for those convicted, for those who suffered shortfalls without being convicted, and for people affected by Capture, the software used before Horizon. Critics point to delays, complexity and questions over whether compensation is adequate, while an independent investigation into pre-Horizon software and calls to quash related convictions keep the issue live.

The human cost has been immense. Many postmasters lost their businesses, homes, savings and reputations in close-knit communities, and families were torn apart. The inquiry has heard of serious harm to mental health and, tragically, deaths. Campaigners such as Alan Bates and Jo Hamilton refused to give up, and the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, broadcast in January 2024, brought the story to millions and prompted petitions and public demands for accountability, including over the CBE held by former Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells.

The roots go back to the early 2000s, when prosecutions began and postmasters were repeatedly told that no one else had similar problems. The Post Office had the unusual power to bring its own prosecutions, which raised lasting questions about governance and oversight. A group litigation led by Mr Bates ended in 2019 with High Court judgments finding Horizon unreliable and a settlement, and in 2021 the Court of Appeal quashed dozens of convictions, with legislation later extending that to hundreds more.

Our NewsNow Horizon scandal feed brings together the latest headlines on the Post Office scandal from reliable sources, from inquiry reports and police developments to compensation, court rulings, redress schemes and the Capture investigation. Follow it to stay informed as the story develops.