The Scottish Conservatives have today outlined key questions they believe the Lord Advocate must answer on the Crown Office’s role in the Horizon Post Office scandal.
Shadow justice secretary Russell Findlay has written to Scotland’s top law officer, Dorothy Bain, who has confirmed she is willing to make a statement to MSPs in response to calls from Douglas Ross at First Minister’s Questions.
The questions Mr Findlay believes Scottish victims deserve answers to include:
- When did the Crown Office first become aware of issues with the Horizon computer system?
- Did it review any cases that had already been prosecuted after learning of these problems?
- How many people were prosecuted after the Crown Office learnt of the issues relating to Horizon?
- Has the Crown Office contested any of the appeals from wrongfully convicted sub-postmasters?
- Will the Lord Advocate publish all correspondence between Scottish Government ministers and the Crown Office relating to the scandal?
Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Russell Findlay MSP said: “It’s imperative that the Lord Advocate provides answers to Scottish victims of this appalling miscarriage of justice, and I welcome her agreement to come to parliament.
“In Scotland it was the Crown Office, rather than the Post Office, that was entirely responsible for all Horizon prosecutions, so they must explain and be held accountable for their actions.
“We know the Crown Office dropped a case against a sub-postmaster because of ‘issues with Horizon’ which they knew about in January 2013, yet it was September of that year before guidance was issued warning against reliance on Horizon for evidence – and 2015 before prosecutions stopped.
“Those who were wrongly branded as thieves and had their reputations trashed and lives ruined are owed an explanation for these – and other – delays, discrepancies and failings.
“While these events predate Dorothy Bain’s tenure, as Scotland’s most senior legal officer she is answerable on behalf of the Crown Office.
“After all they have suffered, the very least victims deserve is full transparency. That includes details of all correspondence between the Crown Office and SNP justice secretaries, including Humza Yousaf, on this subject.”