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Hundreds of Post Office workers ‘vindicated’ by High Court ruling over faulty Post Office IT system

TBH, I've got a bit of a problem with the idea of bulk exoneration, although I suspect the PO's view is more about stringing things out as long as possible.

Already, there are people going "harrumph, if they just void all the convictions, that means GUILTY PEOPLE WILL GET OFF", and my fear would be that these convictions would not be perceived as having truly been overturned. Perhaps those perceptions don't really count, but my take on it is that, if the "system" has been able to devote considerable resources to convicting these people in the first place, it should bloody well devote whatever resources it takes to UNconvict them.

Perhaps we should offer the choice to the SPMs - "we can vacate your conviction via the bulk process, but if you prefer to see your case dealt with individually in court, we will do that, too, at no cost to you".

And then there's the question of compensation - this penny-pinching approach currently being brought HAS to be abandoned, and these people need to be indemnified, as far as possible, against the costs, suffering, and losses they incurred as a result of these awful prosecutions. That is going to be a HUGE bill, and one which could quite likely bankrupt POL. So be it - another example of what happens when you privatise things.

And, of course, the PO needs to be stripped of its ability to bring private prosecutions, and their investigations operations brought under independent scrutiny.

Oh, and there needs to be criminal prosecutions against those in POL (especially senior executives) who, either through malice, neglect, or incompetence, allowed this to happen in the first place, and go on so long.
 
existentialist said:
That is going to be a HUGE bill, and one which could quite likely bankrupt POL. So be it - another example of what happens when you privatise things.
Click to expand...

The Post Office hasn't been privatised, its single shareholder is the government, so they will pick up the bill, paid for by us, of course.

It's the Royal Mail that was privatised.
 
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The post office’s annual revenue is less than a billion quid, profit was 42 million.

There are apparently 4000 affected sub postmasters.

This means the post office is probably worth a couple of hundred million maximum.

If the government wasn’t bailing them out they’d be bankrupt already.

Alex
 
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existentialist said:
Perhaps those perceptions don't really count
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To those who suffered I would wager that they no longer do, they have already lived for years as convicted criminals, suffered that stigma for the best part of their lives, been financially ruined for the best part of their lives and so on. Just wipe the convictions ASAP and give MASSIVE compo NOW, whilst they can still enjoy it.

And who cares if the odd guilty postmaster goes free, is anyone seriously expecting Vennells and so on to get banged up? Their crimes are FAR greater than nicking a few quid, these fuckers systematically set out to destroy 1000's of lives to protect a system they knew was borked, yet not an oat of porridge shall be eaten.
 
cupid_stunt said:
The Post Office hasn't been privatised, its single shareholder is the government, so they will pick up the bill, paid for by us, of course.

It's the Royal Mail that was privatised.
Click to expand...
Ah yes. Oops. Well, I guess the point stands - this is going to cost a lot of money which, whoever has to pay it, they would really rather not.
 
www.bbc.co.uk

Post Office hires ex-police to check its investigators in Horizon scandal

The Post Office says the team will look into allegations that have emerged during a public inquiry.
www.bbc.co.uk

'Righting wrongs'​

A Post Office spokesperson said: "We are acutely aware of the human cost of the scandal and we are doing all we can to right the wrongs of the past, as far as that is possible.
"We are looking at specific allegations that have been made during the public inquiry about both current and past employees who may have been involved with the prosecution of former postmasters or sought the repayment of shortfalls caused by previous versions of Horizon under old contracts that previously existed with postmasters."
The spokesperson said the firm had "rightly" been criticised for past investigation practices.
The new team will include experienced criminal investigators recruited to look at the quality of a number of past investigations due to some of the allegations coming up in the inquiry.
The spokesperson added that it was hoped as much information as possible would be shared with former postmasters.
Click to expand...
 
zahir said:
More from Henry Staunton.

www.theguardian.com

Former Post Office chair claims he is victim of ‘smear campaign’ led by Kemi Badenoch

Henry Staunton stands by his allegations against the government and turns on Post Office CEO in dramatic day of evidence to MPs
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
Click to expand...

TBH, I am more inclined to believe Staunton, for all that he might have plenty of motive to stick the knife in, than the rank of ne'er-do-wells, posturing culture warriors, and deeply vested interests that are ranged against him.
 
existentialist said:
TBH, I am more inclined to believe Staunton, for all that he might have plenty of motive to stick the knife in, than the rank of ne'er-do-wells, posturing culture warriors, and deeply vested interests that are ranged against him.
Click to expand...

Same here, and that seems to be the view of the sub-postmasters too.
 
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