EXCLUSIVE: Compensation claims for wrongful convictions are expected to run into hundreds of millions as 39 convictions were quashed this week
Taxpayers paid £1billion for the Post Office’s faulty IT system even though bosses had concerns over its “accounting integrity”.
Horizon is blamed for the UK’s biggest miscarriage of justice, which saw 700 sub-postmasters prosecuted and eight jailed over “missing” funds.
Evidence given in Court of Appeal hearings shows Post Office bosses adopted it days after raising doubts.
Board meeting minutes, seen by the Sunday Mirror and dated January 11, 2000, noted: “The roll-out of Horizon was due to commence on 24 January.
"A great deal of work had been undertaken to rectify difficulties identified in three areas: system stability, accounting integrity, and the provision of support to offices. “
"Although as yet uncertain, it was anticipated that these issues would not prevent roll-out commencing.”
Former post office worker Tom Hedges holds up a bottle and glass of champagne in celebration after having his conviction overturned by the Court of Appeal.
The revelations come after convictions against 39 branch managers for theft, fraud and false accounting were quashed last week.
Alan Bates, of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, says government departments were “complicit” in the 20-year scandal.
He said: “At no point have officials questioned, at least publicly, why £1billion was paid for a system with known faults.”
Former MP James Arbuthnot – now a Tory peer – got involved in the campaign after one of his constituents was charged.
He said there was a “culture of denial” within the Post Office.
Mr Arbuthnot added: “There was a failure in the civil service and of ministers to oversee things properly.”
A group of former sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses have seen their names cleared at the Court of Appeal
Compensation claims for wrongful convictions are expected to run into hundreds of millions.
The Post Office has said it cannot afford the payouts and started talks with the Government.
Mr Arbuthnot says Japanese firm Fujitsu, which developed Horizon, should foot a least some of the bill.
Campaigners are also demanding a public inquiry, rather than the Government one due this summer, which critics branded a “whitewash” as it has no power to summon witnesses.
The Post Office has insisted Horizon was considered robust and reliable.
It said it was “extremely sorry for the impact on the lives of these postmasters and their families caused by historical failure”.