POL00027523 - Post Office Significant Litigation Report November 2012 RE: Claims over 500k Pounds or those of a sensitive nature- Horizon Claims

Evidence on official site

POL00027523

POL00027523
Strictly Confidential
NOVEMBER 2012
POST OFFICE LIMITED MATTERS — DISPUTE RESOLUTION
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL — CLAIMS OVER £500K OR THOSE OF A SENSITIVE NATURE
FILENAME ‘I BUSINESS I DESCRIPTION ‘ST. External
Horizon claims I Rod Ismay POL has received notification of 5 claims from former I Following consultation with MPs, I Bond Pearce

SPMs. Each SPM has alleged wrongful termination of
contract based on:

- (1) alleged defects in POL’s internal processes; and
- (2) alleged defects with the Horizon system.

Each SPM is seeking damages of c.£150,000. To
date, the SPMs'’ solicitors Shoosmiths have not
progressed 4 of the 5 claims. POL successfully had
the Court strike out the fifth claim and recovered costs
from the Claimant.

Despite reports in the media that Shoosmiths have
consulted on a further 85 similar cases, POL has not
been notified of any additional claims.

Second Sight Support Services Ltd
(an independent investigator) is.
reviewing up to 16 cases where SPMs
allege that Horizon caused them
losses. That investigation is currently
underway. It is anticipated that no
further court action will be taken
pending the outcome of that
investigation.

Post Office Ltd is also actively
considering proposals from Justice for
Subpostmasters. Alliance (an
organisation “established to raise
awareness of the issues within the
Post Office Horizon system’) to
develop a system by which individual
subpostmasters can raise concerns
with Horizon within a “no blame”
framework. Those concerns would be
considered as part of Second Sight's
review.

Significant Litigation Report

Susan Crichton
14 November 2012

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