'My children asked if I'd stolen from the Post Office' says former sub-postmaster as report released

A former sub-postmaster from southeast London says "the truth has come out" following a damning report into the Post Office Horizon IT scandal.

Parmod Kalia ran a Post Office Branch in Orpington in Kent for over a decade when he was wrongly accused of theft in 2001.

The father of four was sentenced to six months in prison and used £22,000 of his mother's life savings pay to the Post Office despite there being no proof he stole it.

He's just one of approximately 1,000 sub postmasters between 1999 and 2015 who were prosecuted after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts.

And, one of 93 people who had their convictions overturned.

A first tranche of the public inquiry’s final report into the scandal, published on Tuesday, laid bare the devastating consequences for victims and their families, from police investigations to convictions and imprisonment.

Speaking about his experience, Mr Kalia said it's shaved years off his life and left his family questioning if he had stolen thousands of pounds from the Post Office until they found an answer.

Mr Kalia said: "No matter how many noughts they're going to put on [the compensation], the end of it is not going to sort out my life, the lost life of 25 years with family, friends and health.

"From 2001 to 2015, other than arguments at home, the children doubting me saying 'have you taken it?' I had no answers because I didn't suspect it was a computer system.

"I had no idea it was a computer system until 2015 when I saw the BBC Panorama programme and that's when I realised there were problems at the Post Office.

"I wrote a letter to the then CEO Paula Vennels, saying, I think this is what's possibly happened at my office, could you please open my file and have a look?

"The answer I got back in 2015 was no, there's nothing wrong with the system.

"I'm relieved now that the truth has come out.

"People do realise and understand that there were problems and faults in Post Office, but they were just covering it up all along, which was apparent at the inquiry.

"But now the judge, Sir Wyn Williams has actually put it in writing. The report is very critical of the Post Office and the government as to in their handling of any redress that they're going to do.

"It's a total mess up the schemes and hopefully Sir Wyn Williams is now going to rectify all of that as well."

Mr Kalia also praised other sub postmasters and said he wouldn't be where he is now without the support from other sub-postmasters.

Tuesday’s 162-page report, written by inquiry chair Sir Wyn Williams, also concluded Post Office bosses knew the Horizon IT system had widespread faults, but had “maintained the fiction” it was accurate for years.

The report also found the Legacy Horizon system’s 2010 replacement - known as Horizon Online - was also “afflicted by bugs” and that employees of Fujitsu and the Post Office “knew that this was so”.

The inquiry estimates that as many as 10,000 people may have been affected by the Horizon scandal, including both convicted sub postmasters and those who experienced financial or reputational damage as a result of the system’s failures.

The report said 59 victims of the scandal contemplated suicide with 10 attempting to take their own lives.

Inquiry chairman Sir Wyn Williams said there was a “real possibility” 13 people took their own lives as a result of the suffering they endured during the scandal.

Other details in the report detailed impacts including bankruptcy and relationship breakdowns.

Mr Kalia said he wants the see the Post Office, staff at Fujitsu and all those who knew "acknowledge and accept that they had done wrong, not only to the postmasters but the families.

"The families have had a big knock on effect whether it's as children, whether it's my mother, who's now actually passed away, who gave me her money and I haven't been able to give it back to her."

"My family members, my children have gone through trauma to such an extent that even now they're adults themselves, they're still seeking counselling as to what happened.

"The whole family was actually described by my children as a dysfunctional family at the time.

"It hurt. I'm a father, I'm supposed to look after them, I'm supposed to be taking care of them but I was not able to.

"I was sent to prison."

"Acceptance is the first step of trying to put matters right, which they still haven't done. They've given mealy mouth apologies which mean nothing to nobody."

Mr Kalia has not yet been given compensation after the decision to convict him was overturned in May 2021.

A Post Office spokesperson said: “The Inquiry has brought to life the devastating stories of those impacted by the Horizon Scandal. Their experiences represent a shameful period in our history.

"Today, we apologise unreservedly for the suffering which Post Office caused to postmasters and their loved ones. We will carefully consider the report and its recommendations.”

The government is expected to give is a statement in the House of Commons later on Tuesday.

Post Office Minister, Gareth Thomas, said: “I welcome the Inquiry’s publication today and pay tribute to Sir Wyn and his team for their comprehensive and penetrating work.

“We must never lose sight of the Horizon Scandal’s human impact on postmasters and their families, which the Inquiry has highlighted so well.

“Sir Wyn’s report highlights a series of failings by the Post Office and various governments. His recommendations are immensely helpful as a guide for what is needed to finish the job, and we will respond in full to Parliament after carefully considering them.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…