Post Office report to lay bare human impact of Horizon scandal

BBC News

08-07-2025

Update:
Date: 10:48 BST
Title: Highlighters at the ready, here's how today will work
Content: Emily AtkinsonLive editor, at the inquiry
Good morning from the Oval in south London.
I'm here with a BBC team to bring you the findings of the first volume of the final Post Office inquiry report.
A short while ago, we and other journalists were led into a room, handed a paper copy of the report, and given three hours to read, digest and package the key lines before they're released publicly.
During this time, we're not able to contact anyone outside the room. (Don't fear, I wrote this post a little earlier!)
There is one exception, though. We're given a short window to discuss the report with our editors back at base right before it's published at 12:00 BST.
While you wait - and we get frantically reading and highlighting - our team in the newsroom will continue taking you through the background to this scandal.
See you on the other side.
Update:
Date: 10:39 BST
Title: Wrongly convicted while pregnant and strained family life - some of those affected by the scandal
Content: Seema Misra was sentenced to 15 months in prison in 2010, while pregnant, after being accused of stealing £74,000
The Post Office scandal had a devastating impact on many sub-postmasters and their families - like Lee Castleton in our last post.
Many faced financial ruin. Some were sent to prison over the false accusations, while others died waiting for justice. Here are some of their stories:
Anjana (left) and Baljit Sethi (right)'s son, Adeep, previously told the BBC family life became a struggle for his parents - he said his father still finds it hard to talk about what happened
Update:
Date: 10:19 BST
Title: Former sub-postmaster: Report will bring up painful memories, but it's important to move forward
Content: We've heard from a few sub-postmasters already this morning, ahead of the report's release.
Lee Castleton was declared bankrupt after losing a two-year legal battle when the Post Office falsely accused him of stealing £25,000 from his branch in Bridlington, East Yorkshire in 2004.
Speaking to our colleagues on Radio 4's Today programme, Castleton says a recurring issue is that the current compensation schemes are "disruptive".
The part of the report being published today will not apportion blame for the failures of the Horizon system, or the way the Post Office reacted, instead it will address the cost of the scandal on the hundreds of wrongly-prosecuted sub-postmasters as well as compensation.
People on both sides "are still fighting a war", Castleton says, adding that some of those affected continue to be "victimised" today.
He says today's report will revisit "painful times for all the group" - "but it is important to look at the impacts in order to move forward".
Update:
Date: 10:12 BST
Title: This report is sure to be damning - but justice is still a long way off
Content: Emma SimpsonBusiness correspondent, at the inquiry
This is another big milestone in the long road to justice for
the victims caught up in the nightmare of the Post Office scandal.
The harm and
the suffering they've endured has been immense. The hearings began with
sub-postmasters telling their stories.
Wyn Williams put them at the heart of the inquiry's work,
which has pored over several decades worth of technical evidence and grilled
many of those who had a role in ruining so many lives.
Now nearly three
years on, the sub-postmasters will get recognition of what they've been through
from an official public inquiry.
Williams will surely be damning in his findings. He could hardly
be anything less given all the evidence he has heard.
The victims, and the
public, want people to be held to account. But it's going to be months before
we find out who Williams will point the finger of blame at. Justice is still a
long way off.
Update:
Date: 10:08 BST
Title: Six key things to know about the Post Office inquiry
Content: Alan Bates, a former sub-postmaster, has long campaigned for redress for victims of the scandal
Update:
Date: 10:00 BST
Title: A landmark day for victims of the Post Office scandal
Content: Emily AtkinsonLive editor, at the inquiry
Today, the Post Office inquiry, which has spanned more than two years, will share the first part of its final report on the Horizon IT scandal. It's a moment those affected have waited a long time for.
In 1999, the Post Office rolled out new accounting software, Horizon, to its network of local branches. Soon after, unexplained shortfalls began appearing in sub-postmasters' accounts.
Some used their own money to cover the losses, others had their contracts terminated or were aggressively pursued by the Post Office in the criminal and civil courts.
Ultimately, more than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongfully convicted of false accounting, theft and fraud, based on faulty Horizon data. Some 236 were sent to prison.
The victims and their families say they lost their livelihoods, faced bankruptcy, endured marriage breakdowns, addiction, stress-related health issues and even premature death.
Almost six years have passed since 555 sub-postmasters, led by Alan Bates, were vindicated in the High Court. The ruling played a crucial role in exposing the scandal, but many still await compensation - something this part of the report will address.
It's due to drop at midday - stay with us for live updates, analysis and reaction throughout the day.