Amazing Statistic

[Canary42]

I know certain aspects of this case have been covered elsewhere but while reading a report today I  came across the statement "More than 700 sub-postmasters were prosecuted based on data from faulty Horizon software between 1999 and 2015.".

700!!!!  Surely someone in the PO Management must have balked at such an enormous number, and sought further investigation. They seemed to actually believe that they really had that number of dishonest postmasters in their employ which I find incredible.

[ToraToraTora]

Yes 700 previously honest people all at once decided to become tea leaves over night! Beggars belief doesn't it. The PO are eaither really thick or really dishonest either way they should not have had the job they had.

[Peter Pedant]

some of the memos passim glorify in their role of finding and firing dishonest subs

BUT - letter in the Times: a bank mgr will see the odd fraud and probably 5-6 in his time in service, and 700 should have set the alarm bells ringing

[Smowball]

Have also been looking at this storyboard also still cannot comprehend the figures involved. Unbelievable.

[naomi24]

I said that yesterday, Canary.  Did no one think to ask why so many crooks and fraudsters were suddenly popping up behind Post Office counters?  No one seems to have attempted to join the dots.

[seekeerz]

Read the same story this morning, Canary, and thought exactly the same thing ....700 over a six year span ?????
Something rotten in the state of post offices !!
🤔😳😵‍💫

[Peter Pedant]

I think.... they thought all 700 were guilty  - certainly some of the early memos seemed to reflect this

even today  the judges are hanging onto " hold on with in the accused 2000 or convicted 700 - there are some there who did it..."

Remember judges are a queer lot - Lord Peter Taylor said of the acquitted IRA non-bombers " it  is nothing to do with me if the Police choose to lie to me" - oo-er m'lud !

Denning ( IRA again) "one out? all out ! it is a terrifying vista to complicate" and also hem hem " not guilty but they havent been proved to innocent have they?" ( IRA again).

and in terms of stats, the rates were around 7 a y - and so in ten years, it would be 70 expected, in a field of 770. ( 10%)

so in conclusion, instead of saying oo-er

they were saying - Great, where is my CBE ?

[Peter Pedant]

Did no one think to ask why so many crooks and fraudsters were suddenly popping up behind Post Office counters?

the view in the Post Office was : they were always there and now our wonderful new wizzy Horison program has nailed them

[Old_Geezer]

Can't be true. The PO clearly remembers telling each and every one that they were the only one with the problem !

[andy-hughes]

I think you could put a zero on that, and that odious woman and her cohorts would still prefer that version than start the ball rolling on unravelling their stupidity and corruption. 

[Peter Pedant]

Did no one think to ask why so many crooks and fraudsters were suddenly popping up behind Post Office counters?

no- that was switchie-poo wasnt it? They never got higher than the er hem hem "Helpline" - which said " you are responsible for shortfalls". So they never got higher than a hello-girl or tea-lady

[jackthehat]

I am sure at some point in the early years of this situation I read a quote from the PO bigwigs which stated that as statistically x% of sub-postmasters/mistresses had been guilty of theft/fraud per annum before this debacle, in granting all 700 (or more) a pardon and compensation they would, in effect, be rewarding those who had been guilty.