Surrey MP tells Sunak sub-postmistress is due a full apology

Seema Misra's conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in 2021

A sub-postmistress who was wrongly convicted and jailed while pregnant is due a full apology, an MP has told Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Woking MP Jonathan Lord raised the case of Seema Misra, a sub-postmistress in West Byfleet, at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday.

He asked Mr Sunak if he agreed she needed a full apology and compensation.

In response, Mr Sunak said he was determined "innocent people" like Mrs Misra would be compensated swiftly.

Mrs Misra was jailed in 2010, while pregnant with her second child, after an audit found a discrepancy in her accounts.

Her conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in 2021.

She was watching PMQs on Wednesday in the House of Commons gallery with her husband, Davinder.

'Innocent people'

Mr Lord asked Mr Sunak: "Does the Prime Minister agree with me and more importantly with Seema Misra herself... that she is due a full apology from the Post Office, a full apology from Fujitsu and proper compensation as a matter of urgency?"

The prime minister said primary legislation would be introduced within a few weeks to ensure all convictions based on "erroneous Horizon evidence" were quashed, and to ensure access to compensation.

He added: "Innocent people, like my honourable friend's constituents have waited far too long and I am determined that they receive compensation as swiftly as possible.

"We have a clear moral duty to right these wrongs and that is exactly what we will do."

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