Post Office scandal: Former postmaster's joy after conviction quashed

A former sub-postmaster wrongly accused of embezzlement during the post office IT scandal has had his conviction overturned.

Rab Thomson, 64, from Alva, wept as he told his sister he had been cleared after a 20-year fight.

Mr Thomson, who was convicted in 2006, is the fifth person in Scotland to have their post office conviction quashed.

The scandal has been described as the most widespread British miscarriage of justice in modern times.

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More than 700 post office branch managers across the UK were prosecuted on the basis of a faulty IT system called Horizon, designed by Fujitsu, which made it look like money was missing when it was not.

Mr Thomson took over the post office in Cambus, near Alloa in Clackmannanshire, from his mother Margaret in 1999.

He was prosecuted after a 2004 audit found an apparent shortfall of £5,700 and sentenced to 180 hours of community service.

Mr Thomson's mother died before he could officially clear his name.

He told BBC Scotland he felt his exoneration "would never come," adding he felt the worst chapter of his life was now closed.

Rab Thomson's mother died before he had the chance to clear his name

He said: "It's been like a noose - the longer it was going on, it seemed to be getting tighter and tighter.

"I never thought this day would come. It's been 20 years, every time we spoke to the lawyers, they were waiting on something else. It did get to the stage that I was just going to throw the towel in.

"But the people who have stuck by me, my family, they all told me it would happen. I only wish my mum was here today to see what has happened.

"Hopefully she is looking down on me and smiling and we'll go and see her up at the graveyard and thank her for everything she has done for us."

Mr Thomson's case was one of six in Scotland that were referred to the High Court as a potential miscarriage of justice in November 2022.

His appeal was due to be heard on 1 February but the Crown Office decided earlier this week it would not oppose it and he was formally cleared on Wednesday.

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A UK-wide inquiry into what happened during the Horizon scandal is under way.

The case was thrust back into the public arena by an ITV drama which followed the scandal being uncovered.

Mr Thomson said it should not have taken 20 years for those wrongly prosecuted to be cleared.

He called on the current Post Office boss, Nick Read, and his predecessor Paula Vennells to formally apologise to those affected by the scandal.

He said: "If I met the head [of the Post Office] at the moment. I would ask him what he has done for the last 20 years and what have I done in the last 20 years.

"What you see in the inquiry at the moment, it is making your blood boil. It's lie, after lie, after lie.

"I would like the current Post Office boss to come out and apologise. I would like Venells to apologise. Why has it taken an inquiry and a programme to come on the television for us to get answers?"

David Enright, partner with Howe & Co Solicitors, who acts for over 200 postmasters said: "Although Robert's name has finally been cleared, tragically his mother did not live to see this day.

"We will now be demanding immediate and substantial compensation for Robert, so that he can get back to the life that was stolen from him.

"Although money can never make up for everything that Robert has lost, we will ensure that he is compensated to the fullest extent that he is entitled."

A Post Office spokesperson said: "We are deeply sorry for past wrongs and are doing all we can to put these right, including extensive work to support overturning wrongful convictions.

"This work includes assisting the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission and the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service, and we continue to work with the UK government to support its efforts to speed up the exoneration of people with wrongful convictions."