Post Office Scandal: At least eight Capture-related convictions are being investigated for possible miscarriages of justice

At least eight convictions handed down before the Horizon Post scandal are under review by a body investigating potential miscarriages of justice, Sky News has learned.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has confirmed that it is investigating a number of cases of former deputy postmasters affected by Capture.

The computer accounting system was used in the early 1990s before Horizon was introduced to Post Office branches in 1999.

The horizon was in the center Post office scandal and I have seen hundreds of deputy postmen wrongly convicted of robbing their departments.

The Kroll report, commissioned by the government earlier this year, found that the Capture program was plagued by bugs and glitches, with a reasonable likelihood that it also caused cash shortfalls.

Lord Beamish, former Labor MP Kevan Jones, supports victims and calls on the Government to extend current legislation to automatically quash convictions.

The Postal Offenses Act (Horizon System) was passed in May but does not cover victims of interception.

Lord Beamish told Sky News he had raised the issue with the Justice Secretary and called for a debate in the House of Lords.

“The government will have to take this matter seriously,” he said. “We cannot have a situation where we have a two-tier system where people are released from Horizon and Capture cases are either forgotten or have to go through a very long legal process to clear their names.”

He added that he had “little confidence” in the CCRC’s “ability to deal with cases” after a number of Horizon-related cases were referred to the body years ago.

“The problem with these cases is the lack of evidence… that has been destroyed or lost, so it will be very difficult to actually prove some of these cases in this trial.

“Therefore, I believe that a general acquittal such as in the Horizon case should be discussed and considered in these cases.”

The CCRC told Sky News it was looking at five cases “where the Capture IT system could make a difference”.

It also said it was “seeking further information” on the eight cases mentioned in the Kroll report.

The CCRC added that the time taken to complete a case review depends on the “complexity” of each case “and the ease of availability of information about it”. In a statement, he acknowledged: “The availability of information may pose a particular obstacle in older cases.”

Chris Roberts’ mother, Liz Roberts, was convicted in 1999 of stealing £46,000 from the post office and spent 13 months behind bars.

Liz, who was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease, died earlier this year.

Chris said she was sent to prison four days before he turned 17 and he often had “nightmares” that she would “die there.”

“There was no evidence of any financial gain as everything was searched. And of course the money wasn’t in our accounts because it didn’t exist,” he added.

Despite the Post Office offering “three offers” to plead guilty, Liz refused and was sent to prison.

Chris believes the 2019 Supreme Court victory for Horizon victims was a missed opportunity for the Post Office to look back on interception cases.

“Then it would be worth something because my mom would die knowing that everyone else knew she was innocent,” he said.

“My dad would die knowing the love of his life wasn’t vilified as a criminal.”

Chris wants his mother to be acquitted and for “those actively responsible” to “stand trial… and make excuses.”

A spokesman for the Department for Business and Trade said: ‘We were dismayed to learn of the problems with the interception system, which is why we are working closely with governments to carefully analyze the independent Kroll report and consider what action should be taken.

“We continue to listen to postmaster generals and others who have shared their views on the report’s conclusions since its publication last month.”