Post Office Horizon System Offences Act 2024: Quashing Wrongful Convictions of Sub-Postmasters and Mistresses

On 24 May 2024 the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act passed into law. The Act quashed the convictions of hundreds of sub-postmasters and mistresses (SPMs).

The Horizon IT Scandal is one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British history. The government introduced this legislation because SPMs were wrongly prosecuted and in many cases suffered financial ruin, the loss of homes, their livelihoods and reputation. Some even lost their lives.

Those convicted will have had their convictions quashed provided they meet the following criteria:

• Prosecutions were brought about by the Post Office or CPS (or in Northern Ireland, the state prosecutor or the police).
• Offences were carried out in connection with Post Office business between 1996 and 2018.
• Were for relevant offences such as theft, fraud and false accounting.
• Were against sub-postmasters, their employees, officers, family members or direct employees of the Post Office working in a Post Office that used the Horizon system software.
• The conviction has not been considered by the Court of Appeal.

Where possible the Ministry of Justice will write to individuals concerned to confirm their convictions have been quashed.

The effect for many is they will no longer have a criminal record and it is expected this will help to bring about swifter compensation for those affected.

Mike Schwarz leads the team at Hodge Jones & Allen and has instructed barristers Edward Henry QC of Mountford Chambers and Flora Page of 23ES as counsel to these clients.