A senior manager at the IT company behind the flawed Horizon computer system called a sub-postmaster a nasty chap while encouraging a colleague to protect the Fujitsu name in court, an inquiry heard.
Peter Sewell, a security team manager at Fujitsu, wrote: Castleton is a nasty chap and will be all out to rubbish the FJ name, it’s up to you to maintain absolute strength and integrity no matter what the prosecution throw at you. WE will all be behind you hoping you come through unscathed. Bless You.
The email was sent to Andy Dunks, a Fujitsu employee who was tasked with signing expert witnesses before the civil trial of Lee Castleton.
Castleton was eventually bankrupted trying to prove the Horizon system was responsible for the accounting shortfalls in his branch, which had led to him losing his job and facing false accusations of theft.
The details emerged during the ongoing inquiry into the Post Office scandal, where hundreds of sub-postmasters were wrongly accused of theft and false accounting due to issues with the Horizon system.
The inquiry into the scandal has been uncovering evidence of the flaws and the extent of the cover-up by Fujitsu and the Post Office. Incidents such as this email further highlight the unprofessional conduct exhibited within the company, fuelling concerns over the fairness and integrity of the Horizon system’s implementation.
Lee Castleton, the sub-postmaster mentioned in Sewell’s email, responded to the revelations, expressing his disappointment and the hardships he faced due to the faulty system. Castleton’s bankruptcy serves as a grim reminder of the significant personal and financial toll experienced by the wrongly accused sub-postmasters who fell victim to the flawed Horizon system.
The inquiry aims to shed light on the extent of the issues faced by the sub-postmasters and hold Fujitsu and the Post Office accountable for their actions. The committee conducting the inquiry has heard numerous testimonies from affected individuals, each highlighting the devastating consequences caused by the faulty system and the subsequent failure to provide support or rectify the situation.
The revelations of the internal email further confirm the lack of concern demonstrated by Fujitsu towards the affected sub-postmasters, placing the company’s reputation above the pursuit of justice and truth. The email suggests a disregard for the impact on the lives of innocent individuals caught in the crossfire of the faulty system, raising questions about the ethical standards followed by Fujitsu during the implementation and management of the Horizon system.
As the inquiry progresses, it becomes increasingly apparent that the flawed Horizon system was not only a technological failure but also a tragedy for the lives it affected. The committee and the affected sub-postmasters seek answers, justice, and appropriate compensation for the distress and damages incurred.
The email serves as a stark reminder of the need to address accountability issues within large corporations, ensuring that the pursuit of profit does not overshadow the importance of integrity, fairness, and the protection of innocent individuals who rely on their services. The ongoing inquiry will continue to shed light on the failures and misconduct surrounding the Horizon system, aiming to prevent such a devastating ordeal from happening again and to offer justice and closure to those affected by this grave miscarriage of justice.
