Wrongly accused postmaster died before his name was cleared

Bill Quarm died before his name was cleared

A sub-postmaster was haunted by feelings of shame and thought about taking his own life after being accused of stealing money from the Post Office, his widow has said.

Dad-of-five Bill Quarm, who ran a post office in the Western Isles, pleaded guilty in 2010 to embezzling money to avoid going to prison.

Mr Quarm, who suffered from ill-health, died in 2012 aged 69. His conviction was overturned last year.

His widow, Anne, said the threat of jail had been devastating: "The fear in his eyes - I’ll never forget it."

More than 900 Post Office workers were prosecuted after faulty software wrongly made it look like money was missing from their branches.

Their case is back in the spotlight following the ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office.

The scandal affected up to 100 workers in Scotland, and Scotland's first minister Humza Yousaf has said he would work with the UK government to ensure victims across the UK were exonerated.

The Quarms ran a bed and breakfast and a shop with a post office in Paible, North Uist.

Mrs Quarm said the family's happy and busy life came to an end abruptly one night.

She said: "Bill came home looking like death and crying and saying 'I’ve had these guys in bullying me from the Post Office'."

Mr Quarm had been accused of stealing tens of thousands of pounds, and was warned Post Office staff would return within days seeking answers to where the money was.

Mrs Quarm said: "He said ‘Anne, I have no answers’. And he was crying on my shoulder.

"I believed Bill.

"He was an honourable man and a good husband and father and worked really hard. I had no reason to believe otherwise."

Bill and Anne had a happy and busy family life in North Uist

Mr Quarm was accompanied by his brother-in-law at his next meeting with the Post Office.

His wife said her husband collapsed during an interview, but he continued to be questioned.

His brother-in-law asked for the interview to be stopped so he could catch his breath and get his medication.

Mrs Quarm said: "Lots of things went on in that meeting that I still don’t know to this day because he wouldn’t let me hear how they treated him.

"It’s just painful."

Bill and Anne Quarm ran a B&B and shop with a post office in Paible

The postmaster's biggest fear was he would be sent to jail, and Mrs Quarm said this led to him having suicidal thoughts.

"Short of being a recluse he was distancing himself from the family because he was so depressed and ashamed that he had brought this shame on the home," she said.

"They (the Post Office) were making him believe that he had brought this shame on us all and the only reason he pled guilty was to try and keep him out of prison and it was shocking.

"Every time he was getting ready for court he had to pack a wee bag because we never thought he would be back.

"The fear in his eyes - I’ll never forget it."

Mr Quarm was ordered to carry out community service.

Following a deterioration in his health, he died in 2012.

Anne Quarm said the wrongful conviction had a lasting impact

Mr Quarm's conviction was quashed at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh on appeal last September.

His widow said this had come as a blessing, but she wished her husband had been alive to know he had done nothing wrong.

She added that the scandal had lasting impact on her life.

"My whole world, everything I had worked so hard to achieve, just came down like a ton of bricks," she said.

"It’s very hard to imagine what its like to lose your home, your life.

"I just knew I had to keep it together for my kids - just to live.

"But it has destroyed something inside. It’s hard."

Victim compensation

Meanwhile, a former sub-postmaster who pled guilty to embezzlement is pressing ahead with his appeal despite plans to pardon all of those affected.

Rab Thomson’s lawyer told the appeal court in Edinburgh that he wants to clear his name and is not interested in compensation.

Mr Thomson was ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service and pay £5000 after his conviction in 2006.

His appeal will be heard by three judges on 1 February.

Two other former sub-postmasters have asked for their appeals to be delayed until there is clarity on government plans to pardon and compensate victims.