Susan Knight's Story: From Post Office Pride to Legal Battle

Background

I worked in subpostoffices for over 32 years. My husband and I came down to Cornwall in 2000 and took on St Keverne Post Office in 2004 alongside a small sorting office (having worked for the Post Office for 24 years at that point). I was very proud to work for the Post Office, I hadn’t done any other career previously and I loved it, I lived and breathed it.

Initial issues

Everything ran smoothly, until it didn’t. In 2006, things started to not quite add up and I just brushed it off as my own fault, and then things went from bad to worse when we had an ATM machine installed. I continued to ring the helpline but wasn’t getting anywhere.

Outreach office  

In 2009, the Post Office offered me an outreach office in Coverack, just by the sea – so obviously they knew I was responsible enough to take that on. Here, I had absolutely no problems, if anything, the balance here was over.

Audit and suspension

Audit visit

It was in November 2012; the auditors came in – the first time in eight years. At that point I must have been about £19,000 in debt – I kept putting money in and getting loans from the bank, but it continued to spiral and so, I had never been so thankful to see anybody in my life – I just thought this nightmare would finally stop. I hadn’t told any of my family what had happened and there were countless sleepless nights. I sort of felt ashamed, and I just continued to bury my head in the sand, I didn’t know who to turn to.

Audit findings

However, the auditor claimed that it was showing that there were no problems from his side, which clearly wasn’t right as I had called the helpline to report the losses numerous times. The auditor also didn’t realise that I also ran an outreach office simultaneously, which was baffling as they were paying my wages for it – I mean they must have known!

Suspension 

It materialised that there was £22,000 not accounted for. I was suspended on the spot. Then the Union representative came the next day and said it was nothing to do with the computers, that they would try to get my job back and they would claim that I was just “lax with security”. He also looked around the house and claimed, “well I see you wouldn’t have been taking money anyway judging by your furniture.”

Court proceedings

Legal advice

Following this, the Post Office advised me not to take a solicitor and I just trusted everything they said. The Union helped me with a statement. It was all very surreal. All I was bothered about the whole time was the fact that the Post Office would close, regardless of what happened to me, as everybody in the community relied on it.

Court summons

I had to lend money from a family member to help pay off these debts and then in 2013 I received a letter to say they were summoning me to court for theft, fraud, dishonesty, and false accounting charges under the Theft Act 1968. It took just three months for the Post Office to push my case through the courts – it was a complete whirlwind. I was told by my solicitor at this point that I was looking at a prison sentence of two to three years. I didn’t know what to do other than just to go along with the process and listen to the advice I was given.

Charges dropped

During the process, the Post Office dropped the charges under Theft Act 1968 against me and I thought they were doing me a favour. It was like I was lulled into a false sense of security, and I was being told to plead guilty - but I wasn’t going to plead guilty to something I hadn’t done. The judge made it clear I didn’t have to enter a plea at that time. I felt like he could see the truth.

Case dismissed  

Eventually, the Post Office dropped the case, and it was thrown out of court. It wasn’t in the public interest.

Next steps

Health impact  

At this point in 2014, my mental health wasn’t great, and I was under so much stress, consequently suffering from a stroke, having to be air lifted to hospital.

Seeking support 

In the meantime, I made contact with Sir Alan Bates and the Justice for Postmasters Alliance (JFSA) and it was here where I was introduced to Freeths and James Hartley. I trust the people at Freeths so much it’s incredible.

Legal assistance

It was the first time I really felt heard. I look in awe at James Hartley and the team at Freeths, they kept us informed constantly over the entire process and were so supportive. I finally started to trust again. Despite us being against so many of the Post Office’s team, I knew that it didn’t matter as we had the truth on our side.

Litigation success

Following the success of the second litigation, the Freeths lawyers just stood and cried with us, it was then we knew that it was personal for them as well as ourselves. We would have had nothing without Alan and Freeths.

Aftermath

Ongoing support

Throughout the whole process, Freeths were so professional yet caring, keeping in touch just to check in to see if I was okay – the support has been invaluable.

Susan's encouragement to others

I would encourage anybody still needing help with their case, if your conviction has been quashed or whatever your circumstance, just believe in Freeths – the firm has been second-to-none to me. They gave me back my trust in authority and process.