Gloucestershire Post Office managers want justice

Former post office managers Nicki Arch (L) and Wendy Buffrey (R) were wrongly accused of stealing from the Post Office

Two former post office managers said they are fighting for further justice after being wrongly accused of theft.

Nicki Arch and Wendy Buffrey, who ran branches in Gloucestershire, were among more than 700 people accused of wrongdoing.

The accusations were based on the faulty accounting software system, Horizon.

"The country's incensed and we're going to travel on the tails of that to justice," said Mrs Buffrey.

"It feels like it's been a very long tunnel but yes, we do feel like we're getting somewhere now."

While the scandal has been public knowledge for some time with a public inquiry ongoing, an ITV drama - Mr Bates vs The Post Office - which aired last week has thrust the issue back into the spotlight.

Wendy Buffrey was the sub-postmistress of the Up Hatherley branch in Cheltenham when a shortfall of more than £26,000 was identified in her accounts.

She was advised by her solicitor in 2010 to plead guilty to false accounting to avoid jail so she could continue to be with her husband, who was ill.

Mrs Buffrey had to sell both her business and home to pay back the money she was wrongly accused of stealing.

Wendy Buffrey was wrongly accused of stealing £26,000 when she ran a post office in Cheltenham

The Post Office dropped the theft charge when the case came to court, but she was convicted of false accounting and sentenced to 150 hours community service.

"People used to spit on us as we worked [on the Stroud Canal]."

Ms Buffrey said has since been given an apology in writing.

"It's in a frame...in the downstairs toilet. But they didn't spell my name right on that either."

Her conviction was overturned by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

'I was preparing to go to prison'

Nicki Arch, who ran the Chalford Hill branch near Stroud, was wrongly accused of stealing £26,000. Like Mrs Buffrey, she was advised to take a plea bargain but refused to do it.

"I was preparing to go to prison. The solicitor said 'you're not going to win, you're against this monstrously huge power [the Post Office] so be prepared' so I had a three-and-a half-day trial with prison officers stood next to me.

"It took them two years from the time they suspended and dismissed me. Then within two weeks I was in the local paper, which said I stole from pensioners but then it took them [the Post Office] two years to get me into Bristol Crown Court and by then, all the damage was done."

Despite being found not guilty, she has only received £8,000 in compensation so far and because she was cleared, she cannot receive an official apology.

She has sworn "never to step foot in a post office again".

Former post office manager Nicki Arch was accused of stealing £26,000

Described as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British history, to date only 93 convictions have been overturned and of them, just 30 people have agreed "full and final" compensation settlements, meaning many victims are still fighting to clear their names.

The Post Office has agreed to a £57.8m settlement - but most of that will go on legal fees. The claimants will find out next week how the remaining £11.5m in compensation will be divided up.

Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake has said that the government wants to give a "full commitment" to getting justice for those who were wrongly convicted, and had their lives ruined.