Robert Craig: The constitutional implications of legislating to exonerate the Post Office sub-postmasters – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘Some commentators have claimed that the decision to expedite the process of formally exonerating the sub-postmasters potentially runs afoul of certain core constitutional principles, in particular the separation of powers. It has also been claimed that the “crown does not have a prerogative of justice but only a prerogative of mercy”. This blog considers and challenges those claims.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 16th January 2024

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Courts “could cope” with large number of Post Office appeals, says LCJ – Legal Futures

‘The courts “could cope” with a large volume of criminal appeals in the wake of the Post Office scandal, the Lady Chief Justice told MPs yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 17th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Dangerous path to go down’: four legal experts on the Post Office exoneration bill – The Guardian

‘The government’s decision to pass a law overturning the convictions of post office operators has left many lawyers and judges uneasy.’

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The Guardian, 11th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Update law on computer evidence to avoid Horizon repeat, ministers urged – The Guardian

‘Ministers need to “immediately” update the law to acknowledge that computers are fallible or risk a repeat of the Horizon scandal, legal experts say.’

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The Guardian, 12th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

SRA: No plans to act yet on Post Office scandal lawyers – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) could take action against solicitors over misconduct in the Post Office scandal before the public inquiry ends but has yet to see evidence that requires it.’

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Legal Futures, 10th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Post Office scandal could lead to rules change on private prosecutions – The Guardian

‘Rules to prevent companies taking private prosecutions in the way the Post Office went after innocent post office operators are being considered by the government.’

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The Guardian, January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Were lawyers complicit in Post Office’s corporate governance failures? – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor who acted for three wrongly convicted sub-postmasters has questioned whether lawyers advising the Post Office’s board were more motivated by continuing the retainers than giving proper guidance.’

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Legal Futures, 8th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ministers to meet to discuss Post Office Horizon scandal – BBC News

‘Ministers are to meet to consider possible ways of clearing the names of hundreds of sub-postmasters convicted in the Post Office Horizon scandal.’

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BBC News, 8th January 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Royal Mail fined £5.6m by UK regulator for missing delivery targets – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2023 in fines, news, ombudsmen, postal service, statistics by sally

‘Royal Mail has been fined £5.6m by the regulator for missing its first- and second-class delivery targets.’

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The Guardian, 13th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Royal Mail fined £5.6m by UK regulator for missing delivery targets – The Guardian

Posted November 13th, 2023 in fines, news, ombudsmen, postal service by tracey

‘Royal Mail has been fined £5.6m by the regulator for missing its first- and second-class delivery targets.’

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The Guardian, 13th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Five more ex Post Office workers have convictions set aside – Criminal Cases Review Commission

‘Five more former sub-postmasters have had convictions set aside after their cases were sent back to court by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).’

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Criminal Cases Review Commission, 28th September 2023

Source: ccrc.gov.uk

Post Office: Horizon scandal victims offered £600,000 compensation – BBC News

‘Post Office workers who have had wrongful convictions for theft and false accounting overturned are to be offered £600,000 each in compensation, the government has said.’

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BBC News, 18th September 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Three firms guilty of fraud which cost Royal Mail at least £70m over a decade – The Independent

Posted August 24th, 2023 in conspiracy, fraud, news, postal service by sally

‘The fraud involved the under-declaration of mail that was posted through a network of logistics companies in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.’

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The Independent, 23rd August 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Widower of jailed Post Office worker loses appeal in wake of Horizon scandal – The Guardian

‘The widower of a Post Office worker jailed after being convicted of theft has lost a court of appeal fight as a judge ruled that the conviction was not based on evidence from the scandal-hit Horizon software.’

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The Guardian, 15th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Post Office Inquiry: jail threat over disclosure failures – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 18th, 2023 in disclosure, imprisonment, inquiries, news, postal service by tracey

‘Disclosure requests from the Post Office Inquiry will carry the express threat of criminal sanctions if responses are not good enough. Inquiry chair Sir Wyn Williams has given further directions following a catalogue of disclosure failings by the Post Office which caused proceedings to be postponed for three weeks this month.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 17th July 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Ex-judges “need guidance or regulation” on post-retirement work – Legal Futures

‘The Post Office’s use of two former senior judges in its defence of the sub-postmaster prosecutions indicates the need for guidance or regulation on what judges do in retirement, it has been argued.’

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Legal Futures, 19th June 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Post Office scandal highlights risk of lawyers “absorbing client’s view” – Legal Futures

Posted May 5th, 2023 in barristers, legal representation, legal services, news, postal service by tracey

‘The Post Office scandal highlights the dangers of lawyers absorbing and reflecting back their client’s view “without sufficient independence and critical detachment”, academics have argued.’

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Legal Futures, 5th May 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Royal Mail referred to Ofcom over late letter deliveries

Posted March 17th, 2023 in enforcement, news, ombudsmen, postal service by tracey

‘Royal Mail is falling down on its letter delivery obligations, a group of MPs has said.’

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BBC News, 17th March 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar regulator faces formal LSB action over performance crisis – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has begun talking about taking formal action against the Bar Standards Board (BSB) over shortcomings in its performance, which it has emerged include how it has dealt with the Post Office scandal.’

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Legal Futures, 7th December 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA forced to wait for end of Post Office inquiry to take action – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is going to have to wait until the end of the Post Office inquiry before it can take formal disciplinary action against any lawyers involved in the scandal, it has revealed.’

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Legal Futures, 24th October 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk