You can’t get closure until people are held accountable says former sub-postmaster after publication of report into Post Office Horizon scandal

The report laid bare the devastating consequences for victims and their families, from police investigations to convictions and imprisonment.

Between 1999 and 2015, approximately 1,000 sub-postmasters were prosecuted after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts.

The report, which was published yesterday (July 8) said 59 victims of the scandal contemplated suicide with 10 attempting to take their own lives.

Inquiry chairman Sir Wyn Williams said there was a “real possibility” 13 people took their own lives as a result of the suffering they endured during the scandal.

Chris Head, who became the country’s youngest sub-postmaster at the age of 18 when he took over the branch in West Boldon, was falsely accused of stealing more than £80,000 from his branch in 2006 before the criminal case against him was dropped.

Following the publication of some of the report’s findings, Mr Head said: “It’s a great day for everybody being here listening to it and obviously being vindicated.

“What we’ve always been saying, the problem is – will it be acted upon? And that is a huge concern because it will take the Government many months to respond to these recommendations.”

Other details in the report detailed impacts including bankruptcy and relationship breakdowns.

Sir Wyn, who said around 10,000 people are eligible to submit compensation claims, urged the Government to establish a public body to devise, administer and deliver compensation to those wronged by authorities.

Mr Head, who has campaigned to help other victims get compensation, said the Post Office “hasn’t addressed the wrongs of the past” and that those responsible need to be held accountable.

He said: “The Post Office needs to be put right for current postmasters but you can’t do that until the problems of the past are fully redressed, because there’s no trust.

“I think you can’t get closure until people are held accountable for their actions. But at the same time that is so slow.

“So what we need to do in the meantime is get this redress paid out to people, get it as full and fair as what has been promised, and allow people the opportunity to try and rebuild their lives while that accountability process takes place.”