NFSP statement: BBC documentary Surviving the Post Office

A statement from NFSP CEO Calum Greenhow regarding the BBC documentary Surviving the Post Office

Last night in the BBC documentary Surviving the Post Office, we heard emotional stories of postmasters, assistants and Crown Office employees whose lives were devastated by being falsely accused and falsely prosecuted by Post Office Ltd (PO).

Despite everything that has happened over the past few years, the trauma and impact is still being felt. What last night showed was the impact the injustice has had on the families of the victims, and this is something that has to be acknowledged and dealt with properly. For five years, Government has said providing redress to the victims is a priority, however many are still without this.

Until redress is provided, innocent people who have suffered so much are still unable to feel vindicated. The hope is that the ongoing Horizon Inquiry will provide postmasters, their assistants and Crown Office employees with answers which for so long have been denied to them.

Any victims who have bankruptcy cases where PO is the creditor should have that debt cancelled so the bankruptcy can be lifted enabling those victims to be released from the enormous pressure they have lived under for so long.

Along with many NFSP Board members and employees of the NFSP, I have attended hearing after hearing at the Horizon Inquiry over the last three years, so that we can help in our own small way to right the wrongs of the past.

We continue to support the Inquiry in any way we can. I’d like to express my gratitude to the many victims who I and colleagues have spoken to over that time period, knowing that we come from the NFSP. Their candour means a lot. We again apologise unreservedly to any member who sought help from the NFSP at the time and did not receive the support they needed and deserved.

We are calling on the PO (Horizon System) Offences Act to enable the quashing of all victims as soon as possible, and for any financial redress to be paid as quickly as possible.