Victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal in Scotland are set to receive justice as their wrongful convictions are to be quashed within days. Emergency legislation was unanimously passed by Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) at Holyrood, with a vote of 116 to zero, just 16 days after its introduction. This legislation will automatically exonerate subpostmasters who were wrongly convicted due to faults in the Horizon IT system.
Once the legislation secures Royal Assent, the convictions will be quashed immediately, enabling victims to access compensation through the UK government’s financial redress scheme. Justice Secretary Angela Constance stated that this legislation aims to deliver justice "as swiftly as possible" for the victims, acknowledging the enduring harm caused by these miscarriages of justice.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service was responsible for the convictions in Scotland. Out of approximately 80 identified cases, the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission has received 16 applications for potential miscarriages of justice. According to the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Bill, a conviction will be quashed if the person was working in a Post Office, the conviction was related to Post Office business, and the Horizon system was in use at that time.
Victims will be entitled to compensation from a UK-wide fund managed by the UK Government. Former First Minister Humza Yousaf's request to extend UK Government exoneration legislation to Scotland was rejected, necessitating distinct legislation due to Scotland’s separate legal system. Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Russell Findlay, along with other MSPs including Labour’s Katy Clark, supported the Bill for its comprehensive exoneration provisions.
A notable case involves Ravinder Naga from Port Glasgow, who falsely confessed to stealing £35,000 from his mother’s post office to prevent her from going to prison. This confession was influenced by the faulty Horizon IT system, which has impacted hundreds of individuals. Mr. Naga’s story highlights the personal toll of the scandal, affecting his family for over 15 years.