Alex Jones has returned to Wales to reunite with a sub-postmaster whose life was turned upside down by the Post Office Horizon scandal. The One Show presenter met Steve, who runs a post office in Nelson, Caerphilly, more than a decade after he first appeared on the BBC programme to speak about the financial discrepancies he was experiencing at his branch.
Horizon scandal background
Steve was among hundreds of sub-postmasters caught up in the Horizon scandal, in which faulty accounting data made it appear that money was missing from post office branches. Many were wrongly accused of theft and false accounting, with some prosecuted as a result.
When Steve first spoke to The One Show in December 2014, he had been confronted with an alleged shortfall of around £44,000. More than ten years later, the problems have not completely disappeared.
Continued discrepancies
During Alex's return visit to the branch, Steve showed her his latest figures, revealing that he is still seeing discrepancies in the accounts. “I'm still getting ups and downs,” he told Alex, pointing to the figures recorded by the system. He explained that one day's figures showed the branch £1.44 down, while another showed a £276 shortfall – money he said the Post Office was still asking him to repay.
Despite his experiences, Steve has continued running the branch because of the people who rely on it. Asked by Alex where he finds the strength to continue, he said: “For the community, basically.” He added that the support he has received locally has helped him carry on, saying he had not received a single negative comment from people in the area.
Compensation and retirement
Steve's story is particularly significant as the Horizon scandal continues to have an impact on communities across Wales and the rest of the UK. He has now received £75,000 in compensation and plans to retire from the post office after years of serving the local community. While retirement will bring relief after everything he has endured, Steve admitted that leaving will also be emotional. He expects to feel “a bit of sadness” after spending so many years behind the counter.
Alex's reunion with Steve formed part of a special The One Show feature marking the programme's 20th anniversary. The One Show’s Post Office feature aired on Tuesday, August 11 on BBC One as part of the week of celebrations of 20 Years of The One Show.
