BBC presenter breaks down in tears listening to ordeal of sub-postmistress

This is the heart-wrenching second BBC 5Live presenter Nicky Campbell breaks down in tears whereas listening to the ordeal of a former sub-postmistress jailed for being wrongly convicted of stealing in Post Office scandal.

The host was taking calls from postmasters who’ve been prosecuted by the Post Office when Karen Jolliffe referred to as in.

The 77-year-old instructed listeners how she spent three months in jail after receiving a 12-month sentence.

The Farnborough native described how she had run her Post Office for 20 years when the Horizon IT system was put in and the way ‘dreadful’ it was for her and her household after the system confirmed a loss.

Today it was revealed {that a} new legislation to quash the convictions of round 700 Post Office scandal victims might be launched inside weeks.

It comes because the highlight additionally activates IT large Fujitsu, after its defective accounting software program Horizon helped result in the conviction of greater than 700 Post Office department managers.

The former postmistress mentioned that when the system confirmed a loss, she tried to cover it as an alternative of flagging it.

She mentioned that watching the brand new ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office was ‘dreadful’ as she ‘did not need to return there’.

At this second, the BBC presenter took off his glasses as he teared up listening to the ordeal.

Ms Jolliffe described how her grandson, who was eight, had been bullied at college over it.

She instructed the present she had no concept what the reason for the error within the system was.

The former postmistress defined that she ‘hid it and moved cash round from the store to the Post Office’ for 18 months. When it was time for her to be audited, she confessed.

She later entered a responsible plea at Magistrates’ Court.

Today she instructed of how she now feels ‘silly’  Alan Bates and the way he had labored it out and requested ‘why did not I?’

It comes as Downing Street has backed requires Alan Bates to be knighted after exposing the Post Office scandal and preventing for justice for wrongly convicted sub-postmasters.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokeswoman mentioned on Wednesday it could be ‘widespread sense’ to honour the previous subpostmaster after a mass quashing of convictions was introduced.

The PM’s press secretary argued that it’s ‘exhausting to consider somebody extra deserving of being rewarded by way of the honours system than him’.

Mr Bates is alleged to have refused an OBE whereas former Post Office boss Paula Vennells nonetheless held the CBE she obtained deep into the scandal in 2019.

But MPs and campaigners have referred to as for Mr Bates’s honour to be re-submitted now that Ms Vennells has agreed to relinquish hers within the face of a public outcry.

Earlier at the moment, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak mentioned the federal government is set to ‘proper the wrongs’ as he made the dramatic announcement on the first PMQs of the yr.

Mr Sunak mentioned the first laws will be sure that persons are ‘swiftly exonerated and compensated’. Victims who signal easy declarations of innocence might be entitled to cash, doubtlessly £600,000 every, by the tip of the yr.

More than 700 Post Office department managers have been convicted after defective Fujitsu accounting software program referred to as Horizon made it seem like cash was lacking from their retailers.

So far simply 93 have been capable of clear their names within the courts, leaving a whole bunch unable to assert compensation.

Under regular circumstances, the Criminal Cases Review Commission would have a look at the person convictions and doubtlessly ship them to the Court of Appeal, a glacial course of.

However, Parliament will now legislate a blanket exoneration, though there might be safeguards for real circumstances of fraud.

Mr Sunak mentioned the scandal had taken place ‘over many years’ and with ‘a number of individuals at fault’.

‘Today I can announce that we are going to introduce new main laws to make it possible for these convicted because of the Horizon scandal are swiftly exonerated and compensated,’ he mentioned.

‘We will even introduce a brand new up-front cost of £75,000 for the very important GLO (group litigation order) group of postmasters.’

Mr Sunak instructed the Commons: ‘This is among the best miscarriages of justice in our nation’s historical past.

‘People who labored exhausting to serve their communities had their lives and their reputations destroyed by way of completely no fault of their very own. The victims should get justice and compensation.’

He added: ‘We will make it possible for the reality involves mild, we proper the wrongs of the previous and the victims get the justice they deserve.’

Keir Starmer welcomed the announcement, whereas saying Labour would study the element.

Answering an pressing query within the Commons after PMQs, postal companies minister Kevin Hollinrake acknowledged the Government’s plan would end in some individuals who truly did commit crimes having their convictions quashed and having the ability to declare compensation.

But he insisted it’s one of the best ways to swiftly tackle the injustice suffered by these caught up within the Horizon scandal who’ve seen ‘lives ruined by this brutal and arbitrary train of energy’.

‘Some of these convictions can have relied on the proof of the discredited Horizon system. Others can have been the results of appalling failures of the Post workplace’s investigation and prosecution capabilities,’ he mentioned.

He mentioned proof from the general public inquiry into the Post Office scandal confirmed ‘not solely incompetence however malevolence in lots of their actions’.