FUJ00243199
FUJ00243199
(oe)
FUJITSU
Nick Read
Post Office Ltd
100 Wood Street
London
EC2V 7ER
By email only
Date: 17% May 2024
Dear Nick,
lam writing to you directly in order to raise serious concerns that have come to my attention
which indicate that the Post Office continues to pursue enforcement against postmasters and
it expects FSL to support such actions.
To be clear, FSL will not support the Post Office to act against postmasters. We will not
provide support for any enforcement actions, taken by the Post Office against postmasters,
whether civil or criminal, for alleged shortfalls, fraud or false accounting.
In particular:
(i) Criminal Investigations:
We have become aware of a recent investigation by the City of London Police into a
Post Office branch. The approach of FSL is to cooperate with the Police and any other
third party exercising independent investigative, prosecutorial, regulatory or judicial
powers.
However, we are concerned by the behaviour of the Post Office investigation team on
this matter. That team maintains an approach of Post Office as “victim” and requires
FSL to provide a witness statement as to the reliability of Horizon data stating that
without such statement the case will not progress. For the investigations team to act
in this manner seems to disregard the serious criticisms raised in multiple judicial
findings and indeed, exhibits a lack of respect to the ongoing Inquiry.
(ii) Pursuit of Shortfalls from Postmasters:
It seems that the Post Office may be continuing to pursue postmasters for shortfalls in
their accounts using Horizon data. We would have expected that the Post Office has
changed its behaviour in light of the criticisms and is appropriately circumspect with
respect to any enforcement actions. It should not be relying on Horizon data as the
basis for such shortfall enforcement.
(iii) Postmaster Redress:
FSL recognises that it holds Horizon related information that may assist postmasters
and post office workers to appeal their convictions and/or to seek appropriate redress
Fujitsu
7th Floor, The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road,
London, NW1 2PL
FUJ00243199
FUJ00243199
(oe)
FUJITSU
including compensation. FSL has and will continue to provide Horizon information to
the Post Office and its external legal advisers where such information is being used to
support postmasters and post office workers to achieve redress. Further, any
information to be provided to support such redress will be provided at no charge and
to the extent there has been any prior charges we will provide a credit note.
I have asked Dan Walton to work with your team to ensure this change is implemented,
documented and reported immediately.
Based on what I have seen and heard in the Inquiry, there is a significant behavioural and
cultural aspect to the Horizon scandal. As leaders of our respective organisations, I believe
we are both committed to learn the lessons necessary so that this appalling scandal can never
be allowed to happen again.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Patterson
CEO - Fujitsu Europe
Fujitsu
7th Floor, The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road,
London, NW1 2PL