The key events leading up to Post Office inquiry report publication

The Post Office Horizon IT inquiry is due to publish a final report – here we look at the key events in the scandal

The Post Office Horizon scandal saw approximately 1,000 individuals wrongfully prosecuted and convicted.

As the long-running inquiry prepares to release the first tranche of its final report, we examine the key events leading up to it’s publication.

1999

The Horizon IT system starts to be rolled out in Post Office branches across the UK.

2000

Alan Bates reports issues with the Horizon IT system.

2003

Alan Bates has his contract terminated after refusing to accept liability for the shortfalls in the accounts at his Llandudno branch in North Wales.

Sir Alan Bates, former sub-postmaster and founder of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, whose story was turned into an ITV drama (PA) (PA Archive)

2004

Lee Castleton, from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, was found to have a £25,000 shortfall at his branch. He was made bankrupt after he lost his legal battle with the Post Office.

2009

Computer Weekly magazine breaks the story of seven subpostmasters beginning their fight for justice.

The Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance is established.

2010

Pregnant subpostmaster Seema Misra, who ran a Post Office in West Byfleet, Surrey, is jailed after being accused of stealing £74,000.

2012

Paula Vennells becomes chief executive of the Post Office.

Ex-Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells is accused of overseeing a huge number of wrongful prosecutions and convictions (PA) (PA Archive)

2015

Post Office boss Paula Vennells tells MPs on the business select committee that there is no evidence of miscarriages of justice.

The Post Office halts prosecutions of subpostmasters.

2017

Legal action is launched against the Post Office by a group of 555 subpostmasters.

2019

A High Court judge rules that Horizon contained a number of "bugs, errors and defects" and there was a "material risk" that shortfalls in Post Office branch accounts were caused by the system.

The Post Office agreed to pay out £58 million to the 555 subpostmasters.

Post Office boss Paula Vennells is made a CBE.

2020

The Post Office does not oppose 44 appeals against convictions of subpostmasters.

Former post office workers celebrate outside the Royal Courts of Justice, London, after having their convictions overturned by the Court of Appeal (PA) (PA Archive)

2021

A statutory inquiry looking into the failings of the Horizon system and the wrongful convictions of subpostmasters begins.

The Court of Appeal quashes 39 wrongful crown court convictions.

2023

The Government announces that every wrongly convicted subpostmaster will be entitled to a fixed sum of £600,000 in compensation.

2024

ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office airs for the first time.

The Metropolitan Police say they are looking at "potential fraud offences arising out of these prosecutions", for example "monies recovered from subpostmasters as a result of prosecutions or civil actions".

Mr Bates vs The Post Office starring Toby Jones as Alan Bates (ITV Studios)

Paula Vennells voluntarily hands back her CBE.

Sir Alan Bates is knighted.

2025

The Department for Business and Trade says £1 billion of compensation has been paid to victims of the scandal.

The first tranche of the final inquiry report is published.