Legal chief ‘not proud’ to work for Post Office after scandal

A POST Office legal chief has said he was not proud to work for the organisation in the wake of the Horizon scandal.

Formerly a litigation lawyer for the organisation, Rodric Williams is now a head of legal for dispute resolution and brand at the Post Office.

On Thursday, the Horizon IT inquiry heard this meant he had a senior role in the team that deals with sub-postmaster redress and appeals against convictions.

Mr Williams admitted yesterday that he took “no pride” or “comfort” from having worked at the organisation that had been engaged in conducting “the greatest miscarriage of justice”.

Edward Henry KC, who represents Seema Misra, a postmistress who was imprisoned while pregnant over missing funds, among others, pressed the legal boss on his views on the wrongful conviction of the former sub-postmistress. The mother of two was one of more than 900 wrongfully convicted after faulty Fujitsu software recorded incorrect shortfalls on their accounts.

Mr Williams told the inquiry: “I take no pride, comfort or confidence in having worked for an employer that has engaged in conducting the greatest miscarriage of justice that we’ve seen, or however it has been described.

“I don’t know where to go with this – it’s awful that people with convictions had them, and had them for the length of time that they did. And for my part in that, I’m truly sorry that I’ve been associated with this. I’m truly sorry for that.”

On Thursday, Horizon victims, including Mrs Misra, told The Telegraph the Post Office should remove Mr Williams from any position related to redressal schemes.

A Post Office spokesman said: “We don’t comment on individuals but it is vital that those giving evidence at the Inquiry do so fully and truthfully so Sir Wyn Williams and his team gather all the information that they need.

“[The] Post Office will follow whatever the Government determines is the right course of action regarding the mechanisms for paying redress.”