The Horizon system used by the UK Post Office to manage accounting and stocktaking is “very robust,” according to George Thomson, former head of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters (NFSP). Though the inquiry examines why more than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted for theft offenses between 1999 and 2015 based on incorrect data from Horizon, Thomson stressed that the Horizon system was not at fault. Rather, it was the Post Office’s mishandling of the situation that deserved blame.
Thomson rejected suggestions from lawyers that the NFSP had taken the Post Office’s side, stating that his defense of Horizon had remained unwavering. “We worked closely with the Post Office because we both needed to have a successful franchise – that’s the reality,” he said.
At the inquiry, the testimony from Thomson sparked astonishment and anger from some sub-postmasters. Christopher Head, a former sub-postmaster, slammed Thomson’s beliefs as “nothing short of abhorrent.” Meanwhile, David Enright, a lawyer working with the case, stated that Mr Thomson’s “flat earther defence of the horizon computer system defies credulity.”
Installed into Post Office branches from 1999, Horizon has faced numerous complaints from sub-postmasters. The system often falsely flagged up shortfalls, amounting to thousands of pounds often, and complaints from sub-postmasters were ignored. These faults resulted in many of them facing criminal charges.
The Post Office was forced to repay £58m to over 5,000 postmasters for their losses after the failures of the system led to their convictions being unsafe or wholly unjustified.
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