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HandWiki. Horizon (IT System). Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/30563 (accessed on 03 October 2026).
HandWiki. Horizon (IT System). Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/30563. Accessed October 03, 2026.
HandWiki. "Horizon (IT System)" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/30563 (accessed October 03, 2026).
HandWiki. (2022, October 21). Horizon (IT System). In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/30563
HandWiki. "Horizon (IT System)." Encyclopedia. Web. 21 October, 2022.
Horizon (IT System)
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The content is sourced from: https://handwiki.org/wiki/Horizon_(IT_system)

Horizon is a computer system used by part of the United Kingdom's postal service, Post Office Ltd. In 2013 the system was being used by at least 11,500 branches, and was processing some six million transactions every day. Horizon was introduced in 1999, and from then onwards unexplained discrepancies and losses began to be reported by sub-postmasters. The Post Office maintained that Horizon was "robust" and that none of the shortfalls or discrepancies in sub-postmasters' branch accounts were due to problems caused by Horizon. Sub-postmasters unwilling or unable to make good the shortfalls were sometimes prosecuted (by the Post Office's in-house prosecution team) for theft, false accounting and/or fraud. This was done on IT evidence alone, without proof of criminal intent. Despite this, some sub-postmasters were successfully persuaded by their own solicitors to plead guilty to false accounting, on being told the Post Office would drop theft charges. Once the Post Office had a criminal conviction, it would attempt to secure a Proceeds of Crime Act Order against convicted sub-postmasters, allowing it to seize their assets and bankrupt them. According to press reports, these actions by the Post Office caused the loss of dozens of jobs, bankruptcy, divorce, unwarranted prison sentences and one documented suicide. In 2019 the Horizon Issues trial judgment in the Bates & Ors v Post Office Ltd group litigation at the High Court found that bugs, errors and defects did exist and that it was possible for these to cause apparent discrepancies or shortfalls in branch accounts or transactions, and to undermine the reliability of Horizon accurately to process and to record transactions. Mr Justice Fraser found that this had happened on numerous occasions. In September 2020, the Post Office declared it would not oppose 44 postmasters' appeals against conviction. In December 2020 six convictions were quashed, and in April 2021 the Court of Appeal quashed a further 39 people's convictions. The BBC called the convictions "the UK's most widespread miscarriage of justice". In April 2021 Post Office Chief Executive Nick Read announced that the Horizon system would be replaced with a new cloud-based IT system.

reliability computer system bankruptcy

References

  1. Jee, Charlotte (3 February 2015). "Post Office obstructing Horizon probe, investigator claims". Computerworld UK. http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/public-sector/3596589/post-office-obstructing-horizon-probe-investigator-claims/.  Archived from original, 27 April
  2. Flinders, Karl (11 March 2015). "Post Office ends working group for IT system investigation day before potentially damaging report". http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240242064/Post-Office-ends-IT-system-investigation-day-before-potentially-damning-report. 
  3. "Post Office Limited Horizon System". 31 May 2011. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/post_office_limited_horizon_syst. 
  4. "Pathway and the Post Office: the lessons learned". Computer Weekly. http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Pathway-and-the-Post-Office-the-lessons-learned. 
  5. Mathieson, SA (26 July 2001). "Smallest post office gets net". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2001/jul/26/internetnews.onlinesupplement1. 
  6. Glick, Bryan (11 December 2019). "Vilified then vindicated - victory for subpostmasters in Post Office trial shows risk of tech hubris - Computer Weekly Editor's Blog". Computer Weekly. https://www.computerweekly.com/blog/Computer-Weekly-Editors-Blog/Vilified-then-vindicated-victory-for-subpostmasters-in-Post-Office-trial-shows-risk-of-tech-hubris. Retrieved 9 February 2020. 
  7. Thomson, Rebecca (11 May 2009). "Bankruptcy, prosecution and disrupted livelihoods - Postmasters tell their story" (in en). Computer Weekly. https://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240089230/Bankruptcy-prosecution-and-disrupted-livelihoods-Postmasters-tell-their-story. Retrieved 9 February 2020. 
  8. Glass, Katie. "Victims of the Post Office’s sub-postmaster scandal on their decade of hell". https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/victims-of-the-post-office-s-subpostmaster-scandal-on-their-decade-of-hell-gmwgl0pq7. Retrieved 9 February 2020. 
  9. Thomson, Rebecca (28 September 2009). "Post-masters form action group after accounts shortfall" (in en). Computer Weekly. https://www.computerweekly.com/news/1280090846/Post-masters-form-action-group-after-accounts-shortfall. Retrieved 9 February 2020. 
  10. Prodger, Matt (8 July 2013). "Bug found in Post Office row computer system". BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23233573. Retrieved 29 March 2015. 
  11. "Post Office IT system criticised in report". BBC News. 9 September 2014. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29130897. Retrieved 29 March 2015. 
  12. Nguyen, Anh (10 September 2014). "Some Post Office Horizon IT was 'unfit for purpose', investigators say". Computerworld UK. http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/public-sector/3544550/some-post-office-horizon-it-was-unfit-for-purpose-investigators-say/. Retrieved 29 March 2015. 
  13. Flinders, Karl (26 November 2019). "Peer calls for clear-out of Post Office board after Court of Appeal confirms major court defeat" (in en). Computer Weekly. https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252474583/Peer-suggests-clear-out-of-Post-Office-board-after-Court-of-Appeal-confirms-major-defeat-in-court. Retrieved 9 February 2020. 
  14. Prodger, Matt (9 December 2014). "MPs attack Post Office sub-postmaster mediation scheme". BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30387973. Retrieved 29 September 2015. 
  15. "Post Office Mediation scheme and the Horizon IT system". UK parliament. 3 February 2015. https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/365/business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-committee/news/97254/post-office-mediation-scheme-and-the-horizon-it-system/. Retrieved 23 April 2021. 
  16. https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/d05cb9e7-04d0-4d05-8a43-ddd74b1eecc0
  17. https://www.jfsa.org.uk/uploads/5/4/3/1/54312921/17926_1.pdf
  18. "How to suppress a scandal, Pt 94," Private Eye, issue 1388 - Archived page Original https://web.archive.org/web/20150331221108/http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=news&issue=1388
  19. "IT system working, says Post Office". Express & Star. 10 March 2015. https://www.expressandstar.com/business/city-news/2015/03/10/it-system-working-says-post-office/. Retrieved 29 March 2015. 
  20. Case No: HQ16X01238, HQ17X02637 and HQ17X04248
  21. Sawer, P. (2019-12-11). "Post Office agrees to pay subpostmasters £58m compensation over false accusations of theft". The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/12/11/post-office-ordered-pay-subpostmasters-58m-compensation-false/. Retrieved 2019-12-12. 
  22. Gompertz, S (2019-12-11). "Victory against Post Office one of the best days of my life: Analysis". BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50741916. Retrieved 2019-12-12. 
  23. Gwyn Loader (3 December 2020). "FAW appoints Post Office director who 'misled court'". BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-55181709. Retrieved 20 April 2021. 
  24. "Fujitsu tries to dodge the blame bus". 26 June 2020. https://www.postofficetrial.com/2020/06/fujitsu-tries-to-dodge-blame-bus.html. Retrieved 20 April 2021. 
  25. "Paula Vennells apologises for the first time". 24 December 2019. https://www.postofficetrial.com/2019/12/paula-vennells-apologises-for-first-time.html. Retrieved 20 April 2021. 
  26. Paula Vennells (24 June 2020). "Letter from Paula Vennells on Post Office and Horizon". https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/1621/documents/15462/default/. Retrieved 26 April 2021. 
  27. Fujitsu (15 May 2014). "Fujitsu Appoints Michael Keegan as Head of UK and Ireland". https://www.fujitsu.com/uk/news/pr/fs_20140515.html. Retrieved 26 April 2021. 
  28. Dixon, Hayley (2021-04-30). "IT boss overseeing Post Office now in Whitehall" (in en-GB). The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/04/30/boss-overseeing-post-office-now-whitehall/. 
  29. "The Final Reckoning" (in en-GB). https://www.postofficetrial.com/2021/04/the-final-reckoning.html. 
  30. Corfield, Gareth (18 Dec 2019). "Post Office faces potential criminal probe over Fujitsu IT system's accounting failures" (in en). https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/12/18/post_office_trial_fujitsu_horizon_judgment/. 
  31. Slingo, Jemma (2019-12-16). "Post Office IT contractor faces prosecution after judge's 'grave concerns' about evidence" (in en). https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/post-office-it-contractor-faces-prosecution-after-judges-grave-concerns-about-evidence/5102540.article. 
  32. Slingo, Jemma (2019-12-16). "Post Office 'attacked and disparaged' sub postmasters, judge finds" (in en). https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/post-office-attacked-and-disparaged-sub-postmasters-judge-finds/5102542.article. 
  33. "Post Office workers win High Court ruling over faulty IT system that left them bankrupt and in prison" (in en). 2019-12-16. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/post-office-high-court-case-it-horizon-postmaster-prison-latest-a9249431.html. 
  34. Flinders, Karl (26 November 2019). "Peer calls for clear-out of Post Office board after Court of Appeal confirms major court defeat" (in en). Computer Weekly. https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252474583/Peer-suggests-clear-out-of-Post-Office-board-after-Court-of-Appeal-confirms-major-defeat-in-court. Retrieved 9 February 2020. 
  35. "CCRC to refer 39 Post Office cases on abuse of process argument". 2020-03-26. https://ccrc.gov.uk/ccrc-to-refer-39-post-office-cases-on-abuse-of-process-argument/. Retrieved 2020-06-07. 
  36. "The CCRC refers eight more Post Office cases for appeal – bringing total to 47 so far". 2020-06-03. http://ccrc.gov.uk/the-ccrc-refers-eight-more-post-office-cases-for-appeal-bringing-total-to-47-so-far/. Retrieved 2020-06-07. 
  37. "TCCRC refers four more Post Office Horizon cases". 2021-01-20. https://ccrc.gov.uk/ccrc-refers-four-more-post-office-horizon-cases/. Retrieved 2021-04-21. 
  38. "Josephine Hamilton & Others v Post Office Limited judgment, Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)". 23 April 2021. https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Hamilton-Others-v-Post-Office-judgment-230421.pdf. 
  39. "Convicted Post Office workers have names cleared". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56859357. 
  40. "Subpostmasters cleared of convictions". Hudgells Solicitors. https://www.hudgellsolicitors.co.uk/news/post-office-horizon/subpostmasters-cleared-of-convictions-now-post-office-officials-must-face-criminal-investigation-for-maliciously-ruining-lives-by-prosecuting-innocent-people-in-pu/. 
  41. "Ex-Post Office chief should be stripped of CBE over Horizon scandal, union says". Jersey Evening Post. https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/uk-news/2021/04/23/ex-post-office-chief-should-be-stripped-of-cbe-over-horizon-scandal-union-says/. 
  42. "Ex-Post Office chief Paula Vennells quits retailer boardroom roles after sub-postmasters have convictions overturned". 26 April 2021. https://news.sky.com/story/ex-post-office-chief-quits-retailer-boardroom-roles-and-church-of-england-ministry-12287322. 
  43. "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee - 10 March 2020". 10 March 2020. https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/9a73af32-a8d7-4ead-ad17-dc92f2d9f131. Retrieved 15 March 2020. 
  44. Corfield, Gareth (10 March 2020). "Post Office burned £100m in UK taxpayer cash on Horizon IT scandal legal fees, MPs told" (in en). https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/03/10/horizon_it_scandal_post_office_fujitsu_parliament/. Retrieved 15 March 2020. 
  45. "Horizon Settlement: Future Governance of Post Office Ltd - Hansard". https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2020-03-19/debates/03E48E18-4B5E-4A42-84C3-684E6B58495D/HorizonSettlementFutureGovernanceOfPostOfficeLtd. 
  46. Flinders, Karl. "Boris Johnson commits to 'getting to the bottom of' Post Office Horizon IT scandal" (in en). https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252479176/Boris-Johnson-commits-to-getting-to-the-bottom-of-Post-Office-Horizon-IT-scandal. Retrieved 20 March 2020. 
  47. "Business Update: Written statement - HCWS280". UK parliament. 10 June 2020. https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2020-06-10/HCWS280/. Retrieved 13 June 2020. 
  48. "The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry". 1 December 2020. https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/the-post-office-horizon-it-inquiry. Retrieved 20 April 2021. 
  49. Hodge, Neil (2017-03-07). "U.K. Post Office faces group litigation order over IT flaw" (in en). https://www.complianceweek.com/uk-post-office-faces-group-litigation-order-over-it-flaw/2751.article. Retrieved 9 February 2020. 
  50. "The scandal that rocked a village Post Office". BBC Radio 4. 25 May 2020. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1bd5tbMKvP1qXG3XVlR4VmS/the-scandal-that-rocked-a-village-post-office. 
  51. Plimmer, Gill; Bounds, Andrew (12 December 2015). "Dream turns to nightmare for post office couple in fraud ordeal". Financial Times. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/91080df0-814c-11e4-b956-00144feabdc0.html. Retrieved 29 March 2015. 
  52. "Post Office scandal: What the Horizon saga is all about" (in en-GB). BBC News. 2021-04-23. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56718036. 
  53. Wallis, Nick (13 April 2021). "Nick Read calls on government to compensate Subpostmasters". https://www.postofficetrial.com/2021/04/nick-reads-speech-to-troops.html. 
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