Post Office victims' 'positive' meeting with PM

Janet Skinner (second from left) and Lee Castleton (far right) met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

Two former sub-postmasters from East Yorkshire have said they felt "listened to" after a meeting with the prime minister.

Lee Castleton and Janet Skinner met with Rishi Sunak following an appearance on BBC Politics North.

The pair, who were both prosecuted by the Post Office, said the talks had been "positive and responsive".

Between 1999 and 2015, the Post Office prosecuted more than 700 sub-postmasters using faulty data from the Horizon system, and more than 900 were prosecuted over all.

The meeting was organised by Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake after he talked to Mr Castleton and Ms Skinner as part of a BBC feature.

Mr Castleton said: "He (Mr Sunak) certainly listened and he was very open to be talked to. It was really responsive.

"We're at the point in our journey where we feel as though we're listened to. Let's hope this will make some positive changes."

Mr Castleton was forced to declare himself bankrupt after the Bridlington branch that he ran was found to have a £25,000 shortfall.

He defended himself in London's High Court because he did not have the funds needed to hire a lawyer. He lost the case.

Janet Skinner, was handed a nine-month sentence in 2007 over an alleged shortfall of £59,000 from her Post Office branch in Bransholme, Hull.

She said "These talks were about our personal circumstances but it's not just going to apply to us. Anything positive will apply to everyone moving forward."

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