The Criminal Convictions Review Commission (CCRC) is diving into potential wrongful convictions linked to the Post Office’s Capture branch software. This scrutiny follows a recent government report suggesting there may be even more cases to examine.
Sky News reports that the CCRC is looking at five specific cases where the Capture IT system might have played a role. They’re also gathering more information on another eight cases. The Post Office scandal caught significant attention earlier this year, spotlighting how subpostmasters faced blame for account shortfalls due to errors in the Horizon computer system. As this story gained traction, issues surrounding the earlier Capture system surfaced too.
The struggles with Horizon came to the public’s attention through Computer Weekly back in 2009. However, it was ITV’s dramatization earlier this year that propelled the narrative into the mainstream news cycle, and it hasn’t left since. Hundreds of former subpostmasters prosecuted based on Horizon evidence have seen their convictions overturned; estimates suggest the total could exceed 1,000 once all cases are addressed.
After the ITV show aired in January, Kevan Jones, the then MP for North Durham, introduced stories of former subpostmasters who encountered issues with Capture. This PC-based software was meant to handle branch accounts but was described by some users as a “glorified spreadsheet,” distinct from the more complex, integrated Horizon system.
A government-commissioned investigation by Kroll concluded there’s a “reasonable likelihood” that the Capture software led to accounting discrepancies. The CCRC noted the challenge of accessing information in older cases during their reviews.
The CCRC started examining Horizon convictions in April 2015, and by December 2020, they began overturning convictions. One person who came forward after the ITV show is Steve Marston, who ran a branch in Bury, Lancashire. Back in 1996, he faced charges of theft and false accounting due to a nearly $80,000 shortfall after transitioning to Capture. Before that, he had no issues using the paper-based system since he’d been operating his branch since 1973.
When an audit revealed a loss he couldn’t cover, he felt pressured to plead guilty to avoid prison. A judge considered his bravery in previous robberies and handed down a 12-month suspended sentence. Marston lost his business and home, ultimately declaring bankruptcy.
He expressed relief that the CCRC is taking a closer look at these cases, saying, “I hope this will speed things up and hopefully put us in a strong position as possible.” For Marston, the priority now is clearing his name along with others affected.