Convictions of hundreds of postmasters have been quashed today
(24 May) following Royal Assent of the Post Office (Horizon
System) Offences Act 2024.
Many postmasters endured financial ruin, the loss of homes,
livelihoods, and reputation as a result of the Horizon IT Scandal
which is one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our
history.
Following Royal Assent today, all convictions in England, Wales
and Northern Ireland will now be quashed providing they meet the
following criteria:
- Prosecutions were brought about by the Post Office or CPS (or
in Northern Ireland, the state prosecutor or the police).
- Offences were carried out in connection with Post Office
business between 1996 and 2018.
- Were for relevant offences such as theft, fraud and false
accounting.
- Were against sub-postmasters, their employees, officers,
family members or direct employees of the Post Office working in
a Post Office that used the Horizon system software.
- The conviction has not been considered by the Court of Appeal
This clears their names, delivers justice, and ensures swifter
access to the financial redress they deserve.
Postmasters will be written to in the coming weeks as the process
for notifying them of their overturned convictions commences. An
open letter to postmasters to set out next steps has also been
published today.
The Department for Business and Trade continue to work on the new
Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme for those who have had their
convictions quashed by today's legislation. This will be fully
operational by the summer.
Post Office (Horizon System)
Offences Act 2024: open letter to postmasters
Following the Post Office (Horizon
System) Offences Act 2024 receiving royal assent on 24 May
2024, the government published an open letter to postmasters
whose convictions were quashed by the Post Office (Horizon
System) Offences Act 2024.
