The Horizon system was the tool the Post Office used to systematically mistreat subpostmasters for over twenty years, as revealed in the ongoing public inquiry into the scandal.
This inquiry has been a deep dive into a case often described as one of Britain’s most significant miscarriages of justice. On the brink of wrapping up the hearings, lead counsel Jason Beer emphasized that while the inquiry’s name references the Fujitsu computer system, it’s not a dry technical analysis. “This is about people. This is about the physical and mental toll taken on individuals. This is about families torn apart, and lives lost,” he pointed out.
Over nearly three years, the inquiry has amassed staggering amounts of evidence: two-and-a-quarter million pages, 780 witness statements, nearly 24,000 pages of those statements, and testimonies from 290 individuals.
Edward Henry KC echoed the sentiment that this isn’t merely an IT issue. He stated the Post Office “weaponized Horizon,” calling it a “faithful spy” and a “false god.” He painted a grim picture, asserting that the greatest atrocities aren’t simply the result of glitches or misfortune but stem from individuals claiming to act for good. “True cruelty lives in the hearts of those enforcing a twisted vision of order,” he said, emphasizing that while Horizon itself didn’t destroy lives, the toxic culture within the Post Office did.
Sam Stein KC reinforced this point, spotlighting outdated policies that set the stage for the disaster. “This was never about a faulty computer; this was about people’s lives,” he asserted. He stressed that the issues arose from callous actions and that the subpostmasters were always set up to fail with a flawed system that they had minimal control over and which was managed by Fujitsu. Stein noted that the contracts subpostmasters signed hadn’t changed since before the digital age, placing undue blame and responsibility on them.
He criticized the Post Office for hiding evidence and prioritizing its reputation over the suffering of the subpostmasters. Stein expressed frustration at the slow pace of financial compensation for victims, calling for the inquiry to ensure accountability from the Post Office, Fujitsu, and the government. Victims feel distrust toward these entities, fearing a return to a confrontational stance once the inquiry wraps up. One victim he represented poignantly stated, “I think they should all be held responsible when this inquiry is over. I think they will all carry on as before.”
Tim Maloney KC added another layer by highlighting the decisions made by individuals that defended the Horizon system despite challenges to its accuracy. He recalled a former subpostmaster, Tim Bretnall, who had his wrongful conviction overturned in 2021, lamenting that it was the people who trusted faulty data over the testimonies of innocent workers. “It wasn’t the software that prosecuted; it was the people behind it,” Maloney stated.
He critiqued the Post Office for stubbornly defending Horizon, avoiding independent evaluations, and relying on public relations tactics. “Fujitsu backed the Post Office until the end,” he remarked, underlining that while the Post Office’s decisions drove the tragedy, Fujitsu played a crucial role, too. He closed with a solemn vow: “We can never let this happen to innocent, hardworking people again.”
The Post Office scandal first came to light in 2009, thanks to revelations from Computer Weekly that uncovered the harrowing experiences of subpostmasters worldwide struggling with the flawed accounting software.