Richard Madeley makes stunning revelation amid Horizon scandal fury
Good Morning Britain presenter Richard Madeley has revealed how a postmaster killed himself after he was accused of stealing £20,000 from the Post Office.
It comes amid rising fury over the Horizon scandal which has been described as essentially the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK historical past.
The stunning revelation got here on the morning present, as presenters Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid mentioned the ‘rising momentum’ from the general public, on account of the ITV drama starring Toby Jones.
Madeley stated informed Reid about how he was sending a recorded supply letter at a submit workplace yesterday, when he acquired chatting to a lady behind the counter.
The stunning revelation got here on the morning present, as presenters Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid mentioned the ‘rising momentum’ from the general public, on account of the ITV drama starring Toby Jones
He stated: ‘I stated “how was the drama for you?” and he or she burst into tears.
‘She informed me her story – and I will not say precisely the place it was – however she stated a cousin of hers killed himself after being accused of stealing £20,000 from the Post Office.’
The girl apparently has fairly a couple of relations working in submit workplaces up and down the nation.
He added: ‘They have been all affected by it, they have been all accused of theft.’
The second cousin was disowned by his household, as they believed the case towards him and after that, he took his personal life.
Richard requested the lady if her cousin’s suicide was one of many recognized 4 circumstances, however the girl’s response was ‘I’ll speak to you about that one other time.’
More than 700 Post Office department managers got felony convictions after defective Fujitsu accounting software program known as Horizon made it seem as if cash was lacking from their retailers
‘I acquired the impression there is perhaps extra,’ Madeley added.
Two former Justice Secretaries have right now urged the Government to usher in emergency laws to quash the convictions. The Government has stated it’s contemplating various choices.
Meanwhile, greater than one million individuals have signed a petition calling for former Post Office boss Paula Vennells to be stripped of her CBE.
Ms Vennells oversaw the organisation whereas it routinely denied there have been issues with its Horizon IT system.
The petition, which is addressed to Sir Chris Wormald, the chair of the Forfeiture Committee, says: ‘Evidence has been produced that the Post Office engaged in a mass cowl up which led to the wrongful prosecution of 550 Post Office Staff lots of whom have been subsequently jailed, bankrupted and in some circumstances, sadly took their very own lives.
‘Having been handed a CBE for providers to the Post Office, and moved out into different senior positions in authorities and healthcare, it is just proper that this award is now withdrawn by means of the method of forfeiture.’
Meanwhile, greater than one million individuals have signed a petition calling for former Post Office boss Paula Vennells to be stripped of her CBE
Pressure can be mounting on Liberal Democrat chief Sir Ed Davey over his function within the scandal, having been postal affairs minister in the course of the coalition authorities between 2010 and 2012.
The Sunday Times revealed a cache of correspondence between Alan Bates, a former sub-postmaster, and ex-ministers from the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition authorities – together with Sir Ed.
Tory Treasury minister Bim Afolami stated Government is working ‘extremely onerous’ to guarantee that justice is completed ‘as rapidly as attainable’ for postmasters wrongly convicted within the Horizon scandal.
He stated Sir Ed ought to ‘be sincere with individuals’ and clarify why as a minister ‘he did not ask the best questions’.
More than 700 Post Office department managers got felony convictions after defective Fujitsu accounting software program known as Horizon made it seem as if cash was lacking from their retailers.
