LONDON (AP) — Emergency laws have been announced in the United Kingdom to swiftly exonerate and compensate victims of the Post Office scandal, potentially clearing the names of hundreds of wrongly convicted individuals this year. Postal affairs minister Kevin Hollinrake described the scandal as a “brutal and arbitrary exercise of power,” with over 900 convictions linked to the faulty Horizon IT system over a 16-year period. However, only 93 of these convictions have been overturned so far. The new legislation aims to rectify this injustice and provide compensation to those affected.
Between 1999 and 2015, the Post Office prosecuted numerous sub-postmasters and mistresses based on inaccurate data from the flawed Horizon IT system. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that those previously convicted in England and Wales would be cleared of wrongdoing and compensated under the new law. Similar plans were also announced by the Scottish government for those convicted in Scotland.
The government intends to complete the process of overturning convictions by the end of 2024. However, the implementation of the legislation raises important constitutional issues surrounding the independence of the courts, as it involves an unprecedented decision to overturn convictions through an Act of Parliament. The government estimates that only a small proportion of those affected were genuinely guilty of a crime.
The compensation payment will include a one-off £75,000 for the 555 ex-postmasters involved in the court case led by Alan Bates, which helped shed light on the injustice. The government will also review whether convictions upheld after an appeal can be overturned by the new law and will work with administrations in Scotland and Northern Ireland to clear sub-postmasters in those nations.
Despite the promising developments, the full text of the law has yet to be published, and the fine details are expected in the coming weeks. A lawyer representing some former sub-postmasters and postmistresses highlighted the need to wait for the complete text before passing judgment.
The Post Office scandal, portrayed in a recent ITV drama series, involved the prosecution of individuals based on false data from the Horizon IT system. Faults in the software incorrectly indicated financial losses for some sub-postmasters, leading to unfounded accusations of theft or false accounting. The government’s compensation scheme aims to rectify these wrongful convictions and restore the livelihoods and reputations of those affected. The ongoing public inquiry into the scandal seeks to uncover the truth behind what went wrong.
In conclusion, the U.K. government’s emergency laws aim to swiftly clear the names of individuals wrongly convicted in the Post Office scandal. By overturning these convictions and providing compensation, the government hopes to rectify the injustices suffered by hundreds of victims. The legislation, to be implemented in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, will address the constitutional challenges associated with overturning convictions through an Act of Parliament. The government’s commitment to holding Fujitsu accountable, the company responsible for the faulty Horizon IT system, demonstrates its dedication to obtaining justice for those affected by the scandal.