Criminal conviction of former Manchester postmaster could be quashed over Horizon scandal

The criminal conviction of a former Manchester postmaster could be overturned in the courts more than 20 years on after the Horizon scandal, it emerged today.

Many postmasters and sub-postmasters were sacked or prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after money appeared to have vanished from accounts at their respective branches. The information came from the Horizon computer system used in Post Office branches, which turned out to be flawed.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) said today it had written to more than 300 people regarding 'potentially unjust convictions stemming from the faulty Horizon evidence' who can apply for a review of their convictions.

The CCRC said two further Post Office convictions - one of a man in Manchester in 2002 - related to alleged cash shortfalls have been referred to the Crown Court due to 'concerns about the discredited Horizon computer system'.

Andrew Gilbertson was a counter clerk at a Post Office in Higher Openshaw, Manchester, until he took over the franchise. The CCRC said he pleaded guilty at Manchester magistrates' court on March 19, 2002, to the theft of almost £25,000 from Consignia.

He was later, said the CCRC, given a six-month prison sentence at Manchester Crown Court, which was suspended for two years. In a statement, the body said: "As Mr Gilbertson had pleaded guilty in the magistrates' court, he was unable to appeal against his conviction.

"However, Mr Gilbertson was prompted to ask for a review of his conviction following the landmark quashing of 39 similar CCRC cases at the Court of Appeal in April 2021.

"The Criminal Cases Review Commission concluded that the convictions depended on flawed Horizon computer data and there is a real possibility that the Crown Court