Freeths advises victims of Post Office data breach

National law firm Freeths is advising sub-postmasters affected after the Post Office published the names and addresses of the original 555 claimants from the Horizon scandal. 

An urgent investigation launched in June 2024 when the company confirmed it had leaked an unredacted copy of a confidential settlement deed from the Horizon group litigation in error. As well as revealing personal details of those involved, the deed also contained details of the settlement itself.

Although Post Office indicated it had taken down the document from their website as soon as it was, several further copies remained in circulation and had to be individually taken down. 

The Freeths legal team, which continues to fight for justice for the sub-postmasters involved in the original case, is now advising those affected by the breach. Its specialised data breach disputes team continue to use its considerable experience in this field to assist the postmasters, both on the implications, and in engaging with the Post Office to rectify the incident.

Leading on the data breach on behalf of the postmasters, Will Richmond-Coggan, Freeths’ Partner specialising in data breach litigation, said: “As is well known, the impact of the Horizon scandal on our clients had already been dramatic. For them now to be subject to the further unpleasant shock of finding that confidential information about the settlement of that dispute has been put into the public domain, for colleagues, families, and communities to see, as well as the public at large, has been particularly devastating."

“My team and I are doing all we can to use our considerable expertise in matters like these to find a resolution to this situation which reflects the severity of the impact on our clients. We hope that it will be possible to do so through negotiation with the Post Office but are ready to escalate matters if we need to get a prompt and meaningful resolution.”

Freeths acted for its 555 sub-postmaster clients in connection with the landmark High Court victory against Post Office, which exposed Britain's largest miscarriage of justice, leading to the quashing of hundreds of criminal convictions and the ongoing public inquiry being established.

The firm’s legal team was initially appointed to consult with Government to support the design and implementation of the GLO ex gratia compensation scheme to award further compensation to the 555 postmasters who succeeded in the High Court.

Freeths recently announced it is now to advise postmasters and other people who are among the hundreds whose criminal convictions are being overturned as a result of the flawed Horizon IT system. 

The launch of the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) will deliver benefit to those who have had to live with wrongful convictions for years and have not yet received compensation after the original High Court rulings secured by Freeths and Justice for Postmasters Alliance (JFSA).

Freeths are urging people to come forward to find out if they are eligible under the new scheme and can be contacted on OverTurnedConvictionTeam@freeths.co.uk.

Those who are eligible for the HCRS will have:

• Either managed or worked (with or without an employment contract) in a Post Office branch that was using or had installed the Horizon system
• Been convicted between 23 September 1996 and 31 December 2018 of offences including false accounting, theft or fraud (including conspiracy to commit these offences)
• Been based in England, Wales or Northern Ireland (Scotland has a separate system)
• Relatives of deceased victims who have sadly died are also able to apply.

Freeths' national team, led by James Hartley, is now considered to be one of the foremost Dispute Resolution teams in the UK.