Northern Ireland

Post Office scandal inquiry to hear evidence in Northern Ireland next month

An inquiry into a scandal which saw sub-postmasters wrongly convicted of fraud will hear evidence in the north next month
An inquiry into a scandal which saw sub-postmasters wrongly convicted of fraud will hear evidence in the north next month An inquiry into a scandal which saw sub-postmasters wrongly convicted of fraud will hear evidence in the north next month

An inquiry into a scandal which saw sub-postmasters wrongly convicted of fraud will hear evidence in Belfast next month.

The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry began earlier this year and is chaired by retired High Court judge Sir Wyn Williams.

Between 2000 and 2014 more than 700 sub-postmasters and postmistresses across Britain and the north were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a flaw in the Horizon computer system.

While 19 Post Office workers were convicted locally it is believed other potential victims have not come forward due to the stigma.

To date 72 former sub-postmasters have had their names cleared.

"Human impact hearings" will be held in Belfast on May 18 and 19 next month and evidence will be taken from people adversely affected by the Horizon system.

Some local victims have said they are looking forward to providing evidence about the impact of the scandal on their lives.

Earlier this year A Co Tyrone woman wrongly accused of stealing thousands of spoke of her experience.

Deirdre Connolly, who ran Killeter post office, was accused of stealing £16,000, which she had to repay.

She was removed from her post after the Horizon system wrongly calculated a deficit.

In 2019 she settled a civil action against the Post Office, along with 500 others.

She told how the case had a huge impact on her family and health.

"We went bankrupt," she told the BBC.

"Our health - I took epilepsy in 2013 which I'll have for the rest of my life.

"The family suffered - my son, husband, daughter - we all suffered mentally and physically.

"But we've got through it.

"We're on the other side of it now,"