Post Office said last month it stands by most Horizon convictions

Post Office CEO Nick Read (left) with Fujitsu Services director Paul Patterson giving evidence to the Commons business and trade select committee in January. Photograph: PRU/AFP/Getty Images

The Post Office has admitted writing to ministers saying it would stand by the prosecution of more than half of the post office operators targeted during the Horizon scandal as recently as last month.

Despite the outpouring of concern and anger after what has been described as Britain’s worst miscarriage of justice, the letter from the Post Office’s chief executive, Nick Read, showed it would oppose attempts to overturn the prosecutions in 369 cases.