Sub-postmasters give evidence to inquiry into Horizon scandal
Hundreds of post office workers were accused of stealing money
Sub-postmasters are giving evidence to an inquiry into how a faulty computer system left them being blamed for stealing money, leading some to be put in prison.
Between 2000 and 2014, over 700 people who worked for the Post Office were accused of taking money from their local branches.
Many of those who were accused lost their jobs, fined or even were sentenced to jail for crimes that they did not commit.
But an investigation found that the Horizon system that was being used at the time was miscalculating figures, leading to unfounded discrepancies.
An inquiry into how the faulty system, made by computer company Fujitsu, was able to generate the wrong numbers is now underway, entering its second day.
Having opened on Monday (February 14th), sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses gave evidence about how being accused had affected them.
Baljit Sethi, aged 69, told the inquiry that he lost his job after being made to compensate the Post Office £17,000 of his own money in 2001.
Despite keeping his local branches open seven days a week to make the money back, after losing his job, Mr Sethi contemplated taking his own life.
Breaking down in tears, he said: "I was down and out, I contemplated suicide, but I thought no, that's the easy way out, what about my family and my children?".
Another man, Noel Thomas, was wrongly sent to prison for nine months after over £48,000 was alleged to have gone missing from his local post office.
Mr Thomas had not stolen any money from the branch, but was made to plead guilty to avoid a longer jail term.
Giving evidence, Mr Thomas, now aged 74, spoke of the lack of dignity once he was put behind bars.
"I felt awful because I didn't expect it, I'd never been a criminal in my life," he added.
In total, 72 sub-postmasters have had their convictions quashed, with a number of other cases going through the legal system.
The inquiry is set to continue as more people affected by the Horizon scandal come forward, in the hope that justice can be served.