A Put up Workplace supervisor who helped to wrongfully convict a sub-postmistress throughout the Horizon scandal is dealing with victims’ compensation claims.
Caroline Richards – who has labored for the Put up Workplace for over 30 years – is reported to have performed a key function within the wrongful prosecution of former sub-postmistress Jacqueline McDonald, who was sentenced to 18 months in jail after she was convicted of stealing nearly £100,000 from her department in Lancashire.
Her conviction was overturned in 2021.
Ms Richards now works as a “senior dispute decision supervisor” on the Horizon Shortfall Scheme since 2021, aiding with reviewing instances in opposition to the Put up Workplace, in line with the i newspaper. The job description for the function states that every one instances might be “investigated or reviewed pretty and impartially”.
Put up Workplace minister Kevin Hollinrake has launched laws to overturn the wrongful conviction of a whole lot of sub-postmasters
(PA Wire)
In accordance with a courtroom report within the Lancashire Night Put up and Ms McDonald’s witness assertion handed over to the Horizon IT inquiry, Ms Richards initiated an investigation into Ms McDonald after discovering a mismatch between the amount of money declared and the amount of money being held in her secure.
Campaigners and MPs instructed the i that the revelations are “outrageous”.
Kevan Jones MP, who has campaigned on behalf of Horizon victims, mentioned it reveals the Put up Workplace “simply don’t get the sensitivity of those instances” and referred to as for the compensation course of to be made fully impartial.
In January, the inquiry was instructed {that a} former assistant at Ms McDonald’s department wrote a letter of criticism to the Put up Workplace about Ms Richards and investigator Stephen Bradshaw.
Katie Noblet complained about “the unprofessional, disgusting behaviour and actions” of the pair and mentioned that they got here to her place of job in 2009 and that Mr Bradshaw was “very confrontational” and mentioned she couldn’t have authorized recommendation which was a “full lie”.
There isn’t a suggestion Ms Richards knew the Horizon IT system was defective on the time of the investigations.
A web-based public petition with over 50,000 signatures has referred to as on the Put up Workplace to axe Ms Richards from the compensation scheme.
Petitioner David Innes referred to as her appointment an “insult to the entire 550 Put up Workplace employees who have been wrongfully prosecuted, together with all these nonetheless awaiting compensation.”
Former Put up Workplace chairman Henry Staunton mentioned postmasters felt there was a ‘full lack of respect’
(PA Wire)
Labour MP Mr Jones instructed i that the appointment of Ms Richards to a job within the compensation scheme is “outrageous”.
“You couldn’t make it up. It reveals the Put up Workplace simply don’t get it, particularly the sensitivity of those instances” he added.
Earlier this 12 months, former Put up Workplace chairman Henry Staunton wrote in an electronic mail that two former postmasters who sat on the board as non-executive administrators, Saf Ismail and Elliot Jacobs, felt there was a “full lack of respect for [postmasters]” and that the tradition was “poisonous”.
Chief government Nick Learn has admitted the Put up Workplace is investigating greater than 40 instances of alleged inappropriate behaviour by present workers referring to the Horizon scandal.
A Put up Workplace spokesperson mentioned: “Claims within the Horizon Shortfall Scheme are assessed by an impartial advisory panel of exterior specialists. There’s a full governance course of for each declare. Our sole goal is that each Postmaster affected by the scandal receives full and truthful redress as swiftly as doable.”
