Post Office Accused of Falsehoods and Threats in Handling of Horizon Whistleblower Case with BBC

The Post Office has been accused of using threats and deceit to prevent the BBC from releasing information provided by a whistleblower regarding the Horizon scandal.

The organization's efforts to conceal evidence failed, ultimately contributing to the vindication of numerous postmasters.

In 2015, an interview with Fujitsu insider Richard Roll aired on Panorama, revealing that the Horizon computer system, which tracked branch transactions, could be covertly modified. Despite these claims, the Post Office refused to comment due to the ongoing public inquiry.

Roll's testimony proved instrumental in a 2019 High Court ruling that acknowledged system bugs could indeed cause discrepancies in the records.

This system had been the basis for the prosecution of roughly 700 postmasters between 1999 and 2015 for crimes like theft and fraud, leading to imprisonment and even suicide for some.

Prior to the Panorama broadcast, Post Office senior managers had issued intimidating letters and threats of legal action against experts and the BBC team to deter their investigation. They also insisted that their staff, and Fujitsu, couldn't remotely access accounts, contradicting warnings received years earlier.

However, after the revelation, the Post Office later admitted Fujitsu employees could modify accounts without the postmasters' knowledge.

Angela van den Bogerd and colleagues had previously denied this, which was later regretted in a High Court statement, though documents revealed the Post Office had known about the remote access for years.

Despite intense legal and lobbying efforts, the Panorama broadcast went on, although it was delayed. The airing had a significant impact, particularly on one viewer—lawyer Patrick Green KC.

His actions based on that information played a pivotal role in the legal triumph for the postmasters, leading to numerous convictions being overturned.

The Post Office, while trying to maintain its reputation, had withheld critical evidence. It was aware of the Horizon system's flaws and the potential unsoundness of some prosecutions.

It was only after multiple trials, 90 quashed convictions, and a dramatic TV rendition that the scandal finally received the widespread attention it warranted. Former CEO Paula Vennells expressed regret for the harm done to postmasters and their families.