Postmaster wrongly convicted of stealing GBP75,000 is now disabled after Horizon Scandal, son says

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https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/vipin-patel- ... -disabled/

The son of a village postmaster wrongly convicted of stealing tens of thousands of pounds from the Post Office has said his father's health "catastrophically deteriorated" after the ordeal.

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Vipin Patel was charged with stealing £75,000 from the Post Office and convicted of fraud. He was given an 18-week suspended prison sentence in 2011.

He was one of hundreds of sub-postmasters wrongly accused of fraud between 1999 and 2015 because of a Post Office computing error. His conviction was overturned in December 2020.

Mr Patel said his father's health had been left disabled after the years-long affair.

He told LBC's Nick Ferrari: "He’s got very very severe health conditions, he walks with crutches, one of his medical reports categorically states that he very likely will be paralysed in the near future.

Current Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey was postal affairs minister under the coalition government when Vipin Patel was convicted. He has said that Post Office bosses misled him during the affair.

Varchas Patel said that he wished Sir Ed had done more for his father.

Mr Patel said that his father "was within the first six to have his conviction quashed" and claimed that the former minister was not interested in helping sub-postmasters.

He said that despite his conviction being quashed three years ago that, "the government still have not given him an interim payment". It has been claimed that all affected sub-postmasters have got at least some compensation.

Mr Patel also said that he agreed with Conservative minister Kevin Hollinrake that Paula Vennells, who was CEO of the Post Office from 2012 to 2019, should hand back her CBE.

"I cannot fathom... what honourable service she has provide to the Post Office," Mr Patel said.