The Post Office scandal “ruined” lives and tore families apart as branch managers were wrongly convicted of theft and fraud, a public inquiry has heard.
The suffering of former sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses is due to be aired publicly over the coming weeks, in an exploration of the impact of the scandal.
Between 2000 and 2014, more than 700 people were wrongly held responsible for shortfalls in the Post Office accounts, due to flaws in the Horizon computer system.
On the first day of the inquiry, barrister Jason Beer QC set out how the “suffering” of many of those caught up in the Horizon scandal will be explored.
“Lives were ruined, families were torn apart, families were made homeless and destitute, reputations were destroyed, not least because the crimes of which men and women were convicted – theft, fraud, false accounting – all involve acting dishonestly”, he said.
“People who were important, respected, and an integral part of the local communities they served were in some cases shunned.
“A number of men and women sadly died before the state publicly recognised they were wrongly convicted.”
Mr Beer said a “vast” number of people were affected, beyond those that were criminally prosecuted, to postmasters and postmistresses who paid shortfalls in the accounts out of their own saving, faced suspension and the loss of their branch, and those pursued in civil court proceedings.
“This inquiry could never hope to hear all their stories, all their suffering. It will provide a snapshot”, he said, adding that pillars of the local communities had faced “ostracization, loss of friendship, or to worse.”
He said the inquiry will hear from those who served prison sentences, the families of those who have died before their names were cleared, and defendants who pleaded guilty when threatened with more serious charges.
A total of 72 former sub-postmasters have had their convictions quashed by the Court of Appeal, in what judges described as one of the largest miscarriages of justice in legal history.
Baljit Sethi, 69, held back tears as he told the inquiry how he and his wife Anjana ran their Post Office in Harold Park in Essex, describing it as the “best time of our lives”.
He said they were targeted by gun and knife-toting armed robbers, but each time put their lives at risk to defend their Post Office and make sure no money was stolen.
“We never let them take a single penny”, he told the inquiry, saying their won commendations and certificates but “unfortunately after all this we’ve got nothing to show.”
Mr Sethi, a trained lawyer and former bank worker, said he worked 12-hour days and made sure his branch was open seven days a week, taking great pride in his community role.
However, trouble began when he was asked to take on a second Post Office branch near Romford, with the Horizon accounting system in place.
Mr Sethi said he was “quite shocked” when a £1,000 shortfall turned up in December 2001, and he spent four hours attempting to identify the mistake.
“I thought maybe I made a mistake and I might find it next week”, he said.
“The following week, it shot up to £2,000. I rang the Post Office, sent a fax, and said there seems to be a problem in the Horizon system, could you come and give us assistance. Nobody bothered.”
Mr Sethi said the shortfall grew to £17,000 over four months, and he received a letter demanding that their “make it good” by repaying the money. He was also told their Post Office contract was not being renewed.
When the system started showing an unexpected surplus, reaching £38,900, he asked the Post Office to come and inspect the Horizon system again, but told the inquiry: “They still didn’t turn up.”
The Sethis were never charged with a crime, but faced financial hardship and the loss of their livelihood.
Opening the inquiry, chairman Sir Wyn Williams said between 50 and 60 witnesses are due to give evidence, as he seeks to understand "the scale and nature of the harm" done.
"These hearings would not be taking place at all were it not for the witnesses who have agreed to give up their valuable time to publicly relive what must be very distressing memories and events", he said.
The inquiry continues.
