Independent review ordered into second Post Office IT software pre-dating Horizon

The Government has agreed to an independent review of computer software linked to a second IT scandal at the Post Office.

Dozens of former sub-postmasters have come forward to claim they suffered unexplained shortfalls while using Capture, a piece of software rolled out to branches in the 1990s.

In a precursor to the Horizon scandal they say they were forced to hand over money, sacked, and in some cases, criminally prosecuted by the Post Office.

Last week i revealed how campaigners have obtained a set of floppy disks with the original Capture software used by sub-postmasters which they believe provides “definitive proof” it could cause accounting errors.

It is understood the Government has now agreed that an independent expert should be instructed to assess those claims in a collaboration between the Department for Business and Trade and Neil Hudgells solicitors which is representing dozens of alleged victims.

The expert will be someone acceptable to all parties and the agreement means the government will be bound by its findings, i understands.

It follows a meeting between Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake and Steve Marston, a former sub-postmaster who was convicted of theft and false accounting offences in 1998.

He first revealed his story in i in January and insists he never stole “a penny” and blames Capture for the shortfalls he experienced.

Mr Marston pleaded guilty to offences of theft and false accounting in 1998 after auditors found shortfalls of £79,000 at his branch in Greater Manchester.

The 68-year-old told Sky News he was “overwhelmed” and “extremely happy” with the outcome of the meeting.

Neil Hudgell, the lawyer representing the 35 former sub-postmasters who used Capture, said it was a “significant meeting”.

“What we are going to do now, with the consent of the government and agreement of the Department for Business and Trade,” he added, “is run that past an independent person to stand up what we say is the case.

“It is a very similar pattern of IT glitches that predate the Horizon system by a number of years.”

Mr Marston said he has a copy of the original Capture software on a floppy disc, which he previously told i was “definitive proof” that the IT system was flawed.

Rupert Lloyd Thomas, a retired IT specialist who worked at the Post Office for 27 years and has been supporting victims, told i how he used the disks to run the Capture software and found multiple examples of shortfalls occurring.

Labour MP Kevan Jones, who has been supporting Post Office victims for years, said the discs could be a “smoking gun” if they proved Capture could result in accounting errors and shortfalls.

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A Post Office spokesperson said: “We are in contact with Steve Marston and other past users of Capture and are grateful to them for all the information they have so far shared with us.

“We continue to actively investigate a number of lines of inquiry relating to Capture and throughout this we have regularly kept the Department for Business and Trade and Kevan Jones MP up to date with our findings.

“We have now shared a recommendation with the Department about what should happen next and hope to provide further information with past users of Capture as soon as we’re able to.”

A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “As soon as these accusations came to light, we asked the Post Office to investigate the Capture system.

“We are now reviewing all the materials provided to us, including those from postmasters and Post Office, and we will set out next steps shortly.”