Nick Read, the chief executive of Britain's Post Office, has announced his decision to step down in 2024, amidst ongoing controversy surrounding compensation payments to branch managers wrongly convicted of theft or fraud. The scandal, stemming from a faulty computer system, has been described as one of the largest miscarriages of justice in British legal history.
Read, who assumed leadership in 2019, stated that he would depart next year after dedicating his "entire attention" to the next phase of the inquiry into the scandal. This investigation is set to commence in late September 2024, focusing on the Horizon IT system introduced approximately 25 years ago.
The Horizon system, developed by ICL/Fujitsu for the Post Office, affected over 3,500 branches and led to the wrongful conviction of more than 900 postal employees between 2000 and 2014. Many were forced to repay alleged shortfalls from their personal savings, with some facing imprisonment and bankruptcy.
The scandal gained renewed public attention following the airing of a television docudrama, "Mr. Bates vs the Post Office," which chronicled the efforts of branch manager Alan Bates to expose the truth and exonerate his colleagues. Bates, who formed the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance (JFSA) in 2009, criticized Read's tenure, stating that he "hasn't achieved anything for the victims."
"It's funny that because when I knew he'd taken seven weeks' leave — in theory to prepare for the inquiry — I thought he'd taken seven weeks off to find a new job."
The Post Office's unique ability to prosecute its own staff without involving police or state prosecutors has come under scrutiny. Read acknowledged that this power is unlikely to be used again given the scandal's repercussions. The organization spent an estimated £32 million prosecuting its own employees before a High Court judge ruled in 2019 that Horizon had "bugs, errors, and defects."
In response to the injustice, the British government has pledged up to £1 billion in compensation for the victims. However, the process has been criticized for its slow pace, contributing to the pressure on Read's position.
The scandal's impact has been profound, with some postmasters reportedly taking their own lives due to the stress of false accusations. In a significant development, the Court of Appeal overturned 39 convictions in a single day in April 2021, highlighting the scale of the injustice.
As the public inquiry, which began in February 2022, continues, questions remain about the Post Office's future and the need for reform of its powers. The Horizon system, despite its known flaws, was still in use as of 2024, raising concerns about ongoing operational issues.
Read's successor will face the challenging task of rebuilding trust in the institution and ensuring that justice is served for all those affected by this unprecedented scandal.