WRONGED postmasters could get a blanket exoneration, Rishi Sunak has confirmed.
The PM today announced a review of Post Office prosecution powers after the Horizon IT scandal saw hundreds “wrongfully treated”.
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Mr Sunak blasted the “appalling miscarriage of justice” and it is “important those people get the justice they deserve” – as he vows to look at all ways to put it right.
He said ministers are “looking at” the option of exonerating all postmasters involved in the scandal.
In 2021, 39 Postmasters had their convictions overturned after winning their case at the Court of Appeal.
Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme, Rishi Sunak said exonerating all postmasters was being studied by the Justice Secretary.
Asked if the Government would remove the Post Office’s ability to investigate and prosecute, he said: “The Justice Secretary is looking at the things that you’ve described, it wouldn’t be right to pre-empt that process, obviously there’s legal complexity in all of those things but he is looking at exactly those areas.”
He added: “Everyone has been shocked by watching what they have done over the past few days and beyond and it is an appalling miscarriage of justice.
“Obviously it’s something that happened in the ’90s but actually seeing it and hearing about it again just shows what an appalling miscarriages of justice it is for everyone affected and it’s important that those people now get the justice they deserve, and that’s what the compensation schemes are about.
“The Government has paid out about £150 million to thousands of people already. Of course we want to get the money to the people as quickly as possible, that’s why there are interim payments of up to, I think, £600,000 that can be made.
“There are three different schemes available and for anyone affected they should come forward.”
More than 700 Post Office branch managers were handed criminal convictions after faulty Fujitsu accounting software called Horizon made it appear as though money was missing from their outlets.
Between its launch and 2015, hundreds of sub-postmasters were prosecuted based on information provided by Horizon, which was later found to have “bugs, errors and defects”.
Victims were forced to declare bankruptcy, pay off sizeable sums out of their own pocket, sell their homes, and some even spent time in prison.
The Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey was slammed after a letter revealed the then Postal Affairs Minister had turned down a request for talks with the Justice for SubPostmasters Alliance.
The May 2010 correspondence to the group from Sir Ed said: “Whilst I do appreciate your concerns, I do not believe a meeting would serve any useful purpose.”
He has claimed he was “deeply misled by Post Office executives” and was blocked from meeting campaigners.
On Saturday, Metropolitan Police detectives revealed they are now looking at whether fraud offences were committed in the handling of the scandal.
It says it is focusing on money clawed back as a result of prosecutions and civil action.
However, it is unclear whether the probe relates to individual staff or the Post Office as a corporate entity.
The scandal has now become a hit ITV drama called Mr Bates Vs The Post Office starring Toby Jones.
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