UK will introduce legislation to quash convictions of those affected by a Post Office scandal
The British government will introduce legislation to quash the wrongful convictions of hundreds of Post Office branch managers in England and Wales who were caught up in one of the U.K.’s biggest miscarriages of justice
LONDON (AP) — The British government will introduce legislation Wednesday to quash the wrongful convictions of hundreds of Post Office branch managers in England and Wales who were caught up in one of the U.K.'s biggest miscarriages of justice.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the legislation “marks an important step forward in finally clearing” the names of those who were convicted on the basis of a faulty computer accounting system, known as Horizon, and have faced long delays in having their compensation claims assessed.
“We owe it to the victims of this scandal who have had their lives and livelihoods callously torn apart, to deliver the justice they’ve fought so long and hard for, and to ensure nothing like this ever happens again," he said.
Under the terms of the bill, which is expected to become law by the summer, convictions will be automatically quashed if they meet certain conditions, including if they were brought forward by the Post Office or the state’s Crown Prosecution Service.
