Yousaf supports move to clear names of Horizon victims

First minister says mass exoneration should be considered ‘in all seriousness’
Greig Cameron
,
Kieran Andrews
The Times
Former post office workers celebrating after their convictions were overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2021. Many more are still fighting to clear their names
Former post office workers celebrating after their convictions were overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2021. Many more are still fighting to clear their names
YUI MOK/PA
Greig Cameron
,
Kieran Andrews
The Times

Humza Yousaf has said a “mass exoneration” for those affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal should be considered.

The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC), the body investigating potential miscarriages of justice in Scotland, said the recent television drama, Mr Bates v The Post Office, had brought the issue back into focus and urged anyone affected to contact them.

Those running post offices were wrongly accused of financial crimes because of a faulty IT system and more than 700 prosecutions were brought around the UK between 1999 and 2015. Many of those people are still fighting to get their convictions overturned.

Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, is reported to be mulling ways to clear the names of hundreds of those involved.

Yousaf appeared