Hundreds of postal workers in the UK have been charged with theft after large sums of money were claimed to have disappeared from offices. The cause was in fact an IT error – and now the postal company is being investigated for fraud instead.
Over 700 UK Post Office employees were wrongly accused of theft, leaving many with their finances shattered by huge compensation claims, while others were jailed.
The allegations spanning the years from 1999 to 2015 came after the company’s computers falsely showed money missing from the offices.
But the real culprit in the drama was a failing computer system that the post office introduced in the late 90s.
TV series brought new life
The company Post Office claimed for years that the data was correct, but after a long struggle, several of the accused had their case retried. As early as 2021, 39 convictions were overturned by a higher instance.
A judge has stated that the postal company knew there were “serious problems” with the reliability of the computer system, and that their own investigation into the events was seriously flawed.
The scandal has gained new relevance with an attention-grabbing TV series that was shown at New Year’s, and according to The Guardian, it has led to another 50 possible victims contacting the police and prosecutors.
A total of 93 employees have been acquitted, but many are still waiting to be cleared. Only 30 people have been fully compensated for the damages they were previously forced to pay.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt tells the BBC that he promises the government will “do everything they can” to ensure that those affected receive the compensation they are waiting for.
– We have heard the message, clearly and distinctly, and we will see how we can speed up the payments, he says.
Was frozen out
The police have now also started an investigation against the Post Office. The suspicions are that the compensation money the company has received can be classified as fraud. So far, no one has been arrested or charged with suspicion.
One of the accused employees testifies that he and his family were ostracized in their small community in northern England, and that his daughter was bullied at school because the father was allegedly a thief. He and other victims are now demanding that the culprits be brought to light:
– It’s about accountability. Let’s find out who made the decisions and made this happen, says the man.