Post Office scandal victims in Scotland to be cleared
- Published
More than 700 sub-postmasters were prosecuted across the UK, including up to 100 in Scotland
Everyone convicted in Scotland as part of the Post Office Horizon scandal will be cleared, the first minister has confirmed.
More than 700 sub-postmasters were prosecuted across the UK, including up to 100 in Scotland, after wrongly being accused of embezzling money.
Humza Yousaf said he would work with Westminster to ensure victims across the UK are exonerated.
Mr Yousaf said people had already had to wait too long for justice.
Although it has been public knowledge for years with an inquiry ongoing, the recent ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office has thrust the issue back into the spotlight.
The first minister was speaking after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to introduce a new law that will quash convictions in England and Wales.
The legislation would not normally affect Scotland, but Mr Yousaf said he was open to using a Legislative Consent Motion that would allow it to also apply north of the border.
Mr Yousaf added that those affected "can be absolutely assured" they will be pardoned.
A Legislative Consent Motion would be the "easiest and fastest" solution, the first minister added.
He stressed other options were also possible.
Mr Yousaf said people had already had to wait too long for justice
Post Office branch managers were accused of wrongdoing based on information from the faulty computer system between 1999 and 2015, with charges including theft and fraud.
However while in England the Post Office acted as prosecutor, in Scotland all cases were the responsibility of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).
Only two Scottish cases have been overturned so far but the Crown Office estimated up to 100 Scottish cases may be affected.
Mr Yousaf said: "The Post Office absolutely have to be held to account. It is important that we get the answers for those who have waited far too long for justice."
In a letter sent from Mr Yousaf to the prime minister, he stated: "Given the unique circumstances arising from the Post Office Horizon scandal, it is right that normal processes for appeals are set aside to ensure that justice can now be delivered for those whose lives were greatly impacted by their wrongful conviction."
BBC Scotland News previously reported that the Crown Office knew about potential problems with the Horizon IT system in May 2013.
Asked if this had been raised with him when he served as justice secretary, Mr Yousaf said: "I don't recall anybody getting in touch with me directly".
'Soul-destroying'
Louise Dar was forced to pay £44,000 which was wrongly deemed to have gone missing from her sub-post office in Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire.
Although not convicted of a crime, she told BBC Scotland News the experience was "soul-destroying" for her and her husband.
The couple eventually lost the sub-post office - and their shop where it was based - due to the claims.
Ms Dar "won't hold her breath" regarding future compensation but she hopes the Scottish government will now support those affected.
She added: "The criminal convictions to be quashed, that's amazing work, but for everybody compensation needs to happen."
Mary Philp worked in the police force for six years before working at the Post Office after her retirement
Myra Philp and her mother Mary ran a post office branch in Auchtermuchty, Fife.
In 2007 Mary Philp was suspended over missing funds, but due to her age she was not prosecuted.
She died in 2018, before the first case was overturned, and her daughter stated that she has only been offered a "derisory" amount of compensation since then.
Myra Philp told BBC Radio Scotland's Lunchtime Live: "Today's decision is amazingly wonderful, but I haven't heard about the people who weren't convicted, and there were about 3,000 of them.
"We lost everything. We lost the premises. We lost our reputation. We lost our investment. We lost the earnings we would have had going forward.
"Emotionally, it was like a virtual prison sentence except without having your day in court."
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Angela Constance has said she will speak with fellow ministers about the Scottish government's ongoing Fujitsu contracts.
The Japanese company signed a deal in 2020 to support electronic vote counts for Scotland's local elections.
The UK government has said Fujitsu - which has apologised for its role in the post office scandal - would be "held accountable" if it was found to have blundered in its handling of the affair.
Fujitsu's website says the company has over 200 staff located in Scotland, and lists its customers as including the Scottish government and UK government departments based in Scotland.