A draft report has unveiled that the Post Office was previously aware of potential flaws within its Horizon IT system which could lead to discrepancies in branch accounts, yet continued to litigate against sub-postmasters who might not have been at fault. This investigation, named Bramble and carried out by consultancy firm Deloitte, shed light on the Post Office’s internal knowledge of the issues.

Alan Bates, a campaigner, spearheaded a legal challenge comprising 555 sub-postmasters against the Post Office regarding the Horizon IT controversy, which concluded in December 2019. The report particularly noted that errors within the system, or external manipulations, could account for the financial discrepancies recorded in various branches.

The disclosure has instigated demands for further investigation into the Post Office’s actions. An inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal is slated to proceed next month, poised to explore the points raised by the report and seek justice for the affected sub-postmasters.

In response to the Bramble report, the Post Office has expressed its dedication to unearthing the truth and ensuring those affected by the Horizon IT scandal receive justice. The initiation of this inquiry follows requests from MPs for a police probe into secret recordings from 2013, which previously hinted at the Post Office’s awareness of the system’s faults.

Further exposition by secret documents revealed the Post Office knew its courtroom defense was inaccurate while it was engaging in legal battles worth £100m against sub-postmasters. The documents pointed out that the Post Office was aware as early as 2017 that mistakes in the Horizon IT system, or unauthorized remote adjustments by Fujitsu staff, could be behind the losses—directly contradicting its legal stance that accused sub-postmasters of theft or errors.

The Horizon IT system’s defects and Fujitsu’s unsuccessful attempts to rectify these issues were highlighted in the Bates v Post Office High Court case. Fraud investigator Ron Warmington described the tampering of sub-postmasters’ accounts as occurring “on an industrial scale.” The concealment of the Bramble report during the court proceedings and from sub-postmasters has caused significant outrage, with calls for earlier disclosure to prevent the financial and emotional toll on the affected parties.

Despite a 2019 settlement acknowledging the software issues within Horizon, many falsely accused sub-postmasters still have not seen their criminal convictions overturned. The call for accountability and compensation remains at the forefront of the Post Office’s agenda amidst the ongoing inquiry and public outrage. These disclosures emphasize the urgent need for transparency and restitution in addressing the grievances of those unjustly implicated in the Horizon IT scandal.