TL;DR
New information suggests the Horizon IT system may have been deployed earlier than previously thought, which could bring additional wrongful convictions within the scope of the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024. The Criminal Cases Review Commission is reassessing cases amid limited historical records and an ongoing statutory inquiry into the scandal.
What happened
MPs were told that fresh material from the Post Office indicates the Horizon accounting and EPOS system may have been put into service sooner than earlier timelines showed. Amanda Pearce, director of casework operations at the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), said that detail could mean at least one prosecution previously treated as pre-Horizon might now qualify for automatic reversal under the 2024 legislation intended to address convictions tied to Horizon errors. Pearce described difficulties in establishing reliable timelines for decades-old cases because records are sparse. The CCRC is reviewing multiple prosecutions and has referred at least one matter to the Court of Appeal. The wider context includes a statutory public inquiry launched in 2021, earlier findings that Post Office and supplier staff knew or should have known about defects, and that some suicides were likely linked to the prosecutions arising from system errors.
Why it matters
- Shifting installation dates could increase the number of convictions eligible for automatic quashing under the 2024 Act.
- Affected former subpostmasters may become entitled to quicker legal redress if their cases fall within the revised Horizon timeframe.
- The discovery underscores gaps in historical records, complicating efforts to resolve alleged miscarriages of justice.
- Findings feed into broader scrutiny of the Post Office and its supplier relationships, with political and financial implications for government compensation schemes.
Key facts
- Amanda Pearce, CCRC casework operations director, told the Commons Business and Trade Committee new Post Office material suggests an earlier Horizon installation.
- The Horizon system is an EPOS and back-end finance system first implemented by ICL, a firm majority-owned by Fujitsu in the 1990s; it has had subsequent upgrades.
- From 1999 until 2015, around 736 subpostmasters were prosecuted and convicted in cases linked to Horizon errors.
- The Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024 was introduced to quash convictions alleged to have been committed while Horizon was in use, following a government commitment in January 2024.
- The CCRC is reviewing a number of prosecutions and has referred at least one case to the Court of Appeal.
- The Department for Business and Trade supplied a list of 480 convictions from the 1990s, but Pearce said reliable information for these older cases is limited.
- A statutory inquiry into the mass miscarriage of justice began in 2021; its first report concluded senior Post Office staff and supplier employees knew or should have known about defects and noted 13 suicides likely linked to the prosecutions.
- A 2019 judgment found Horizon was introduced in late 1999 and 2000 and criticized the Post Office's prior assertions that the system could not cause discrepancies.
What to watch next
- CCRC decisions on whether additional prosecutions now fall within the Horizon timeframe and qualify for automatic quashing.
- Outcomes of referrals to the Court of Appeal relating to Horizon-era prosecutions.
- Timing and findings of the ongoing statutory public inquiry (not confirmed in the source).
- Whether the Post Office provides further documentation that alters installation timelines or case eligibility (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Horizon: An electronic point-of-sale (EPOS) and back-end accounting system used by the Post Office, developed initially by ICL and later supported by Fujitsu.
- Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC): An independent public body that examines and refers potential miscarriages of criminal justice to the appellate courts.
- Statutory public inquiry: A formal investigation established under statute to examine events of public concern and make recommendations.
- EPOS: Electronic Point of Sale; a computerized system for processing transactions and managing sales data.
Reader FAQ
Does this mean more convictions will definitely be quashed?
Not confirmed in the source. New timelines could make additional cases eligible, but outcomes depend on case reviews and legal processes.
How many people were prosecuted because of Horizon errors?
The source reports that around 736 subpostmasters were wrongly prosecuted and convicted between 1999 and 2015.
Has Fujitsu accepted financial responsibility or paid compensation?
Not confirmed in the source. MPs questioned Fujitsu about contributions to compensation; exact payments or commitments were not detailed.
When was Horizon first introduced?
A 2019 judgment found Horizon was introduced in late 1999 and 2000, but the CCRC says new Post Office material suggests an earlier installation for at least one case.
PUBLIC SECTOR Earlier Horizon rollout could widen net for quashed Post Office convictions Committee told shifting timelines could alter automatic reversals in UK's historic Fujitsu computing scandal Lindsay Clark Wed 7 Jan 2026…
Sources
- Earlier Horizon rollout could widen net for quashed Post Office convictions
- British Post Office scandal
- POST OFFICE (HORIZON) CONVICTIONS QUASHED
- Post Office Horizon scandal explained: Everything you …
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