The group had a goal to get better 40% of the losses recorded – and their annual payouts had been depending on the sum of money they acquired again below the Proceeds of Crime Act.
In an electronic mail despatched in 2015, Gary Thomas, a Submit Workplace investigator from 2000 to 2012, wrote that the corporate was lacking its revenue targets as a result of “we stopped getting £XX million [sic] from bloody good monetary recoveries”.
The long-serving worker additionally stated in mocking emails that there was “no case for the justice of thieving sub-postmasters”.
He stated of campaigning postmasters: “We had been the most effective Investigators they ever had they usually had been all crooks!”
Thomas final yr admitted to the Submit Workplace Horizon inquiry that his investigations into sub-postmasters had been fuelled by “bonus targets”.
He had been lead investigator within the case of Worcestershire sub-postmaster Julian Wilson, who was wrongfully convicted
in 2008.
Mr Wilson died from bowel most cancers in 2016 on the age of 67, 5 years earlier than he was cleared of stealing £27,000.
His widow Karen stated she believes the stress brought on by his wrongful conviction contributed to his sickness.
Cleared sub-postmistress Della Robinson, 56, stated: “I didn’t know in regards to the bonuses. I feel it’s disgraceful, all of it.”
Thomas admitted his “crooks” electronic mail was “completely disgraceful” and stated he was “embarrassed” about his presumption that the sub-postmasters had been responsible.
Sufferer and campaigner Alan Bates slammed the “appalling” bonuses, saying: “The Submit Workplace appears to have a bonus tradition working proper by way of it.”