Family of late Post Office victim win fight to clear her name

Caren’s daughter Laura Miller was 25 when her mum was convicted.

She told BBC Scotland News it was extremely important for her mother’s name to be cleared.

Laura said: “I find it most upsetting that she died a convicted criminal.

“That can’t be undone. I’m happy she’s exonerated but she died a convicted criminal.

“Something my mum hadn’t done and she’s taken it with her.”

She said her mother would be delighted that her name had been cleared.

Laura added: “She knew all along she’d done nothing wrong. So did we.

“Now it’s just the proof that she really didn’t do it.”

In Scotland the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) had sole responsibility for prosecuting Horizon cases, whereas in England the Post Office could act as prosecutor.

The COPFS knew in 2013 there were potential problems with the Post Office Horizon IT system and it officially stopped prosecuting cases in 2015.

But it didn’t review historic convictions like Caren’s.

A COPFS spokesman said they empathised with those who had suffered from injustice.

He added: “Scotland’s prosecutors acted in good faith upon evidence presented to them.

“When Horizon prosecutions stopped, we had been assured that a further review of cases would not reveal miscarriages of justice.

“It was only following the litigation in England in 2019 that the true and full extent of the issues with the Horizon system came to light.

“The actions of the Post Office are being examined in a public inquiry and investigated by police.”

A Post Office spokesperson said: “We apologise unreservedly to victims of the Horizon IT Scandal and our focus remains on supporting the ongoing public inquiry to establish the truth of what happened so those affected can receive the justice and redress they deserve.”