Scottish Horizon victims still waiting for exoneration letters

People caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal are still waiting for letters from the Scottish government about whether their convictions have been quashed.

When legislation automatically exonerating victims came into force in June the justice secretary said they had “waited too long for justice” and she would write to those affected.

But following a Freedom of Information request, BBC Scotland News understands that is still to happen.

The Scottish government said it had been “working at pace” with partners to identify those exonerated.

The Horizon Post Office scandal has been described as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in the UK in recent times.

A faulty IT system called Horizon made it look like money was missing when it was not.

Figures from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service show that about 60 convictions in Scotland involved Horizon evidence.

The UK government introduced legislation to automatically exonerate victims en masse earlier this year but that did not include Scotland, so the Scottish Parliament passed its own legislation.

So far seven people have been cleared through the Scottish courts. Others should be cleared by the Scottish legislation which came into force on 14 June.

But some people do not know whether they will be included and are waiting for confirmation.

Ravinder Naga said he falsely confessed to stealing money from his mother's Post Office

Ravinder Naga said he falsely confessed to stealing money from his mother's Post Office in Greenock to protect her from going to prison.

His case is more complex than most because he was not the sub-postmaster at the time.

He has appealed to have his conviction quashed through the courts but is also waiting to find out if he will be covered by the Scottish government’s legislation.

Mr Naga’s solicitor Greg Cunningham said that following the justice secretary’s announcement in June there was “a feeling that the wheels of justice would for once turn quickly”.

But he said that two months on people like Mr Naga were still in the dark.

Mr Cunningham said his client’s case was different from others: “The Scottish government has to consider the convictions of Post Office workers separately from the sub-postmasters who were exonerated automatically when the legislation came into force.

"While taking care takes time, the information is readily available and the government owes it to Mr Naga and others to get through it fast.

“My hope is that their lives can start again sooner rather than later."

'Automatically exonerated'

In July, BBC Scotland News asked the Scottish government how many letters had been issued but we were not given a figure.

A subsequent Freedom of Information request received on 13 August confirmed that as of 15 July no individuals had been formally identified as falling under the scope of the act, and no letters issued.

BBC Scotland News asked the Scottish government if any letters had been issued since 15 July. We received a statement.

A Scottish government spokeswoman said: “Wrongly convicted sub-postmasters in Scotland were automatically exonerated when the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Act came into force on 14 June.

“We have been working at pace with partners to identify those exonerated by the legislation, and now the UK government redress scheme is open, we will be writing to them shortly to notify them and set out how to access the scheme.

“Those who do not receive a letter, and believe that they are eligible, can register for the scheme at www.gov.uk/horizon-convictions-redress-scheme.”

The previous UK government said most of its letters to victims in England and Wales were due to be sent by the end of July.

That did not happen, and the current UK government says the first letters have been issued and it anticipates that most relevant convictions will have been identified, with letters sent over the summer.

A UK government Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The Horizon scandal was an unprecedented miscarriage of justice and we are working to inform all affected postmasters that their convictions have been quashed as soon as possible.”