Former Sub-Postmaster Meets Fujitsu Boss Over Horizon Scandal

A former Harborough subpostmaster affected by the Horizon scandal has come face-to-face with the boss of the company who made the faulty software.

Julie Beisner was falsely accused of stealing nearly £2,000 from her branch in North Kilworth, when the system showed an unexplained shortfall.

The allegation was later withdrawn by the Post Office, after Julie argued it was impossible for the shortfall to have been accumulated during a time the branch was closed during the Covid pandemic.

Hundreds of people were wrongfully convicted of fraud, after the IT system alleged errors in their accounts.

Julie, whose family had run the Post Office since 1847, was one of a number of former and current sub postmasters who yesterday met Fujitsu’s European manager Paul Patterson.

It was the first time anyone from the IT giant had met victims of the scandal and Julie says she wants the firm to contribute to compensation pay-outs:

Julie Beisner & the former Post Office in North Kilworth

Speaking following the meetings in London, Paul Patterson told Sky News he was “really grateful for their time”.

He described “a really good conversation” held in private.

“It’s not for me to get into that now – it was actually quite emotional to hear it,” he said.

When pushed on why it had taken seven months to meet them despite promising to back in January he replied: “It’s taken a little bit of time because I was trying to tie up a number of things together which we couldn’t quite do in the time frame.

“I’m very grateful to them for giving me the time today.”