Barrister Paul Marshall, who represents the majority of victims in the Post Office scandal, has issued a scathing critique of the institution, labelling it the closest thing the UK has to a "thoroughly corrupt public institution." In an exclusive interview, he detailed the ongoing "relentless slog" for justice, with victims still facing immense obstacles five years into the fight.
Institutional Failures and Delayed Justice
Marshall emphasised that the scandal extends beyond the Post Office's conduct to a profound failure of the justice system itself. He stated there is "not the slightest institutional interest" in examining why courts and legal processes failed so catastrophically, leading to grievous consequences for those affected. This systemic inertia, he argues, has paralysed progress and left victims in limbo.
A Glacial Pace of Settlements
Highlighting the slow pace of resolution, Marshall revealed that only one victim has achieved a final settlement of their overall claim to date. He described the past five years as a period of "relentless slog, struggle, resistance, friction, obstruction, hostility and opposition from the government and the Post Office." This protracted battle has meant that many victims are dying before receiving any compensation, a situation Marshall calls "a scandal all of its own."
Ongoing Legal Battles
Currently, Marshall is working on 42 appeals headed to the Court of Appeal to secure justice for former postmasters and Post Office employees. These cases stem from the Horizon IT scandal, where between 1999 and 2015, more than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted due to faulty software indicating non-existent shortfalls in branch accounts. The scandal gained widespread public attention through the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which depicted the grassroots campaign led by Alan Bates.
The Human Cost of Delays
Marshall pointed to "institutional inertia and paralysis" as key factors preventing timely compensation. He attributed this to a "lack of vision and imagination" within both political and legal spheres, resulting in what he terms "ineffectiveness." The human toll is stark, with victims enduring years of uncertainty and financial ruin while awaiting redress.
Recent Developments and Historical Context
In November, it was reported that campaigner Sir Alan Bates received a multi-million-pound compensation figure from the Post Office, over two decades after he began his fight. This followed a landmark legal action by 555 sub-postmasters that exposed the Horizon system's flaws. Despite such milestones, Marshall's comments underscore that for most victims, justice remains elusive, with the legal process mired in complexity and resistance.
The full interview with Paul Marshall is available on the podcast series British Scandal: The Post Office Scandal, released weekly on all podcast apps and Audible.
