PO scandal inquiry told of bully boys demanding repayments
A former subpostmaster who lost his home, marriage and business as a result of the Post Office Horizon scandal has told an inquiry how he was “baited” and “badgered” at home by two “burly” men who told him to repay a shortfall caused by a faulty IT system.
Chris Dawson, who ran a successful sub post office in Pitlochry, said he was threatened with criminal proceedings over the £17,500 and told he could end up in prison.
The 48-year-old was among several former and current subpostmasters and mistresses giving evidence to the inquiry on its second day in Glasgow.
He said there was an “automatic presumption of guilt” against him when the two men, dressed in black suits, repeatedly questioned him while his wife and children were upstairs at their home.
“It was very, strange, very intimidating, very scary,” he recalled. “They were more like bully boys, dressed in black, with a very intimidating manner.
“The interview lasted about one to two hours and it was clear to me that the Post Office was not interested in anything I had to say and just wanted to know whether I could repay the shortfall.
“There was an automatic presumption of guilt. It was horrifying. From the moment they started, I felt as if my back was against the wall.”
Mr Dawson refused to accept liability for the shortfall. After being suspended for six months with no pay, he lost his business and was declared
bankrupt. His family lost their home and had to sell their car as a consequence.
“I’d been paying the rent and rates for the post office without a salary and I could no longer afford to pay my mortgage,” he said.
Within months, his marriage also collapsed. “I don’t believe any marriage could have coped with that kind of stress,” he said. “I was a complete mess, I was paranoid and I withdrew intomyself.”mrdawsonsaidhe
ended up working as a kitchen porter and was affected by people’s perception of him. “Are they going to believe me or a 300-year-old institution?” he asked.
He broke down in tears when asked by Catriona Hodge, juniorcounseltotheinquiry,about how the episode had affected hisrelationshipwithhisdaughters,describinghowhebecame “a shadow of himself ”.
“A father should be able to provide for his kids and for
a long period I couldn’t,” he said. “They never complained, even at Christmas and birthdays. It just made me feel like a failure.”
Even now, he told the inquiry, the pain and the memories remain a part of his life. He explained: “I still think about it every day.
"There’s not a day that goes by when you don’t pass a postie, a mail van, or a pillar box. It’s always there.”
The inquiry is being led by
retired high court judge Sir Wyn Williams.
Concluding the hearing, Sir Wyn said: “As I expected it would, the evidence gathering on the human impact in Scotland has provided us with further important insights into the damage caused by Horizon and the decisions taken in relation to it.”
The inquiry will hold hearings in Belfast next week.