A sub-postmistress who was jailed after the Horizon scandal has revealed her story on BBC Radio 5 for the primary time.
Karen Jolliffe, 77, instructed Nicky Campbell about her ‘nightmare’ time in jail, after being impressed by ‘courageous’ ex-Submit Workplace workers.
Greater than 130 potential victims have already come ahead after the scandal was reignited by a tv collection documenting the occasions.
For 20 years, Ms Jolliffe had been operating her Submit Workplace, till the Horizon system was put in place in 2000.
When the brand new system confirmed she was 1000’s of kilos in loss, reasonably than confronting the Submit Workplace, she stated she hid it as a result of she ‘wasn’t courageous’ just like the others.
She stated: ‘I hid it and moved cash round from the store to the Submit Workplace for about 18 months, two years. I knew I used to be going to be audited and once they got here out I simply confessed. It by no means entered my head it might be Horizon.’
Regardless of not understanding the place the cash had gone, Ms Jolliffe pleaded responsible and was sentenced to a yr in jail – three months of which she served in custody, with a further three months spent fitted with a safety tag.
She added: ‘My grandson was eight. He was bullied at college. On the entire, my household stood by me, and the individuals who got here in my store. They wrote to me once I was in jail, I had so many letters, so I used to be fortunate in that respect.
‘I simply felt that each one of you, all you postmasters have been great. I’ve solely simply watched it final night time as a result of I couldn’t carry myself to observe it. I watched all of it final night time.
‘If it wasn’t for you, individuals like me wouldn’t be saying that. You’re very courageous and I want I used to be braver.’
Mr Campbell was seen tearing up after listening to Ms Jolliffe’s story.
It comes as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak introduced new laws to exonerate and pay £75,000 in compensation to every sub-postmaster wrongfully convicted within the Horizon scandal.
Greater than 700 sub-postmasters acquired legal convictions for allegations similar to theft and false accounting after defective IT utilized by the Submit Workplace made it seem cash was being stolen.
Thus far solely 93 have had their names cleared.
Mr Sunak instructed the Commons: ‘This is among the biggest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s historical past.
‘Individuals who labored onerous to serve their communities had their lives and their reputations destroyed by means of completely no fault of their very own. The victims should get justice and compensation.’
Get in contact with our information crew by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For extra tales like this, examine our information web page.
MORE : Dying of woman, 14, who was discovered at mum’s home now beneath police investigation
MORE : From Mr Bates to Eurovision: When TV reveals sparked a revolution
MORE : Reeva Steenkamp’s mum says Oscar Pistorius ‘by no means confirmed any regret’
Get your need-to-know
newest information, feel-good tales, evaluation and extra
This web site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privateness Coverage and Phrases of Service apply.