Press release -
TWO CONVICTIONS IN POST OFFICE HORIZON CASES OVERTURNED AT COURT OF APPEAL
Two convictions in Post Office Horizon cases from 2005 and 2008 were overturned by the Court of Appeal today, 27 April 2023. Both appeals were unopposed by Post Office.
A Post Office spokesperson said:
“We are deeply sorry for past wrongs and the suffering caused. We have taken determined action to prevent such events ever happening again.
“As of 27 April 2023, a total of more than £18.5m has been paid in compensation to people whose convictions have been overturned. This includes initial interim payments of up to £163,000 which are made swiftly following a Horizon-related conviction being overturned, in advance of full settlements.
“No unsafe conviction should be missed. Together with the Criminal Cases Review Commission, we have continued to contact people convicted in Post Office prosecutions that may have involved Horizon evidence. We urge anyone who believes they were wrongly convicted to consider an appeal.”
The number of convictions overturned in ‘Horizon cases’ is now 86. This includes three cases prosecuted by other bodies, not Post Office. None of the appeals of the convictions overturned by the Courts have been opposed.
Help to appeal
Since 2021, the vast majority of people convicted in Post Office prosecutions between 1999 and 2015 that may have involved Horizon evidence have been traced and contacted.
In 2022, Post Office asked the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), an independent body, to additionally contact people who had not yet responded and they have been doing so. More information on CCRC’s work on Post Office Horizon cases can be found on their website here. In addition, Post Office engaged Citizens Advice to provide a service offering confidential support and information for people considering appeals.
The Court of Appeal has ruled in a series of judgments that a conviction should be overturned if the reliability of Horizon was essential to the prosecution.
It is for the Courts to determine safety of convictions but in all cases to date where Post Office has not opposed an appeal, those convictions have been overturned.
Notes to editors:
As of 27 April 2023, 132 cases that were prosecuted by Post Office have been completed through the appeals process with 83 convictions overturned (includes the two cases today). In 49 Post Office cases convictions have been upheld, permission to appeal has been refused or the cases have been withdrawn from Court. Three convictions in cases prosecuted by other bodies, not Post Office, have been overturned and five appeals have been unsuccessful in cases in which the Crown Prosecution Service was the respondent. There is more information about progress of appeals and compensation on Post Office’s website here.
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