Firstly, a quick summary of what happened:
Faulty Fujitsu IT software caused 700+ subpostmasters to be wrongly convicted of theft, fraud, and false accounting between 1999 and 2015.
More detail:
The Cause: Introduced in 1999, the Horizon system was plagued by bugs, errors, and defects that created fake accounting discrepancies, often totaling thousands of pounds.
The Impact: Subpostmasters were forced to repay the "shortfalls" from their own pockets. Those who couldn't—or who challenged the system—were prosecuted, dismissed, and in some cases, imprisoned.
The Cover-up: The Post Office continued to prosecute staff despite knowing the system had bugs and that it was possible to remotely alter branch accounts.
The Turning Point: A 2019 High Court ruling in a case brought by 555 subpostmasters, led by Alan Bates, finally proved that the Horizon system was flawed.
A public inquiry, chaired by Sir Wyn Williams, continues to examine the scandal's full scope, including the actions of the Post Office, government officials, and Fujitsu.
And so to the latest:
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