By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept

News Junction

Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • World News
    World NewsShow More
    Where in the world are babies at the lowest risk of dying?
    Where in the world are babies at the lowest risk of dying?
    May 13, 2025
    Philippine president’s allies on course for most available Senate seats in election 
    Philippine president’s allies on course for most available Senate seats in election 
    May 12, 2025
    Zelenskyy agrees to meet Putin
    Zelenskyy agrees to meet Putin
    May 12, 2025
    Pope Leo calls for end to polarising ‘war of words’ in address to media | World News
    Pope Leo calls for end to polarising ‘war of words’ in address to media | World News
    May 12, 2025
    Assessing Putin and the ‘Axis of Authoritarians’
    Assessing Putin and the ‘Axis of Authoritarians’
    May 12, 2025
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Ukraine blows up bridges to consolidate its positions in Russia
    Ukraine blows up bridges to consolidate its positions in Russia
    August 18, 2024
    Commentary: AI phones from Google and Apple will erode trust in everything
    Commentary: AI phones from Google and Apple will erode trust in everything
    August 18, 2024
    The most famous Indian Dishes – Insights Success
    The most famous Indian Dishes – Insights Success
    August 18, 2024
    Life on the road as a female long rides cyclist
    Life on the road as a female long rides cyclist
    August 18, 2024
    UK inflation rises to 2.2%
    UK inflation rises to 2.2%
    August 18, 2024
  • Cryptocurrency
    CryptocurrencyShow More
    Will Bitcoin hodlers be the reason more countries adopt wealth taxes?
    Will Bitcoin hodlers be the reason more countries adopt wealth taxes?
    May 13, 2025
    Is VET poised for a 300% surge?
    Is VET poised for a 300% surge?
    May 12, 2025
    Cardano bulls set eyes on  as institutional adoption grows amid BTC integration
    Cardano bulls set eyes on $1 as institutional adoption grows amid BTC integration
    May 12, 2025
    Sonic Labs Announces M Token Sale to Galaxy for U.S. Expansion
    Sonic Labs Announces $10M Token Sale to Galaxy for U.S. Expansion
    May 12, 2025
    นักวิเคราะห์ลั่นอย่าพลาด Dogecoin จะเด้งแบบพาราโบลาสัปดาห์หน้า!
    นักวิเคราะห์ลั่นอย่าพลาด Dogecoin จะเด้งแบบพาราโบลาสัปดาห์หน้า!
    May 12, 2025
  • Technology
    TechnologyShow More
    How to Improve Your Spotify Recommendations
    How to Improve Your Spotify Recommendations
    August 18, 2024
    X says it’s closing operations in Brazil
    X says it’s closing operations in Brazil
    August 18, 2024
    Supermoon set to rise: Top tips for amateur photographers | Science & Tech News
    Supermoon set to rise: Top tips for amateur photographers | Science & Tech News
    August 18, 2024
    Scientists Want to See Videos of Your Cat for a New Study
    Scientists Want to See Videos of Your Cat for a New Study
    August 18, 2024
    OpenAI’s new voice mode let me talk with my phone, not to it
    OpenAI’s new voice mode let me talk with my phone, not to it
    August 18, 2024
  • Entertainment
  • Sports News
  • People
  • Trend
Reading: The Post Office Offences Bill leaves much unresolved
Share
Font ResizerAa

News Junction

  • World News
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Trend
  • Entertainment
Search
  • Recent Headlines in Entertainment, World News, and Cryptocurrency – NewsJunction
  • World News
  • Business
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Sports News
  • People
  • Trend
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
News Junction > Blog > Technology > The Post Office Offences Bill leaves much unresolved
The Post Office Offences Bill leaves much unresolved
Technology

The Post Office Offences Bill leaves much unresolved

Published June 28, 2024
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

Contents
Thirteen excluded from justicePost Office power to bring prosecutionsAdmissibility of computer evidenceConclusion

Were it not for an unexpected general election announcement on an otherwise unremarkable wet Wednesday in May, we would now be debating the Post Office Offences Bill in the House of Lords.

On the face of it, this is unproblematic. The Bill was passed in what is called “wash up”, the period following the prime minister’s announcement when all the bills before Parliament at that point are either passed or dropped.

It is very good that the Bill did get through. It is so long overdue, for so many hundreds of those wrongfully convicted postmistresses and postmasters.

Sadly, however, it is not the whole story. There are at least three issues which we should have been able to discuss and, potentially, resolve through a vote in the Lords had we had the chance.

Thirteen excluded from justice

The most significant and urgent of these is the fact that the bill does not cover all of those so horrifically wrongly convicted. There are thirteen people who the government deliberately set outside the provisions of the bill.

Their reasoning, wrongly in my view, is that because their appeals had been heard and upheld by the Court of Appeal, Parliament could not intervene. 

Essentially, this is punishing those individuals for their assiduity in getting their cases to the appellant court in as quick a time as possible. 

If they had not, they would have been included within the provisions of the bill. This must be urgently addressed by the next government.

This could have been easily and quickly achieved by simply removing Clause 1(2)(c) which reads: “This Act applies to a conviction in England and Wales for a relevant offence where the conviction has not been considered by the Court of Appeal in England and Wales”.

Our aim was to remove this clause as the bill progressed through the Lords. We did not get the chance.

When the King’s Speech is read by His Majesty on 17 July, I desperately hope there is legislation to address this continuing wrong. The reality, I fear, is there will not. Our pressure must continue until justice is delivered for all.

Post Office power to bring prosecutions

Second, perhaps the most pernicious part of all these proceedings, is the role of the Post Office as it brought these private prosecutions. I had proposed an amendment to, at the very least, look at this power and how it had operated in this instance.

The wording of my amendment was: “The secretary of state must, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay before Parliament a report on section 6 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. The review must, among other things, cover: the role of section 6 in the convictions of those whose convictions were quashed under this Act; and whether additional safeguards, such as reporting requirements on the use of such prosecutions, are needed.”

Again, this is an urgent issue for the new government as we were denied the opportunity to make this change.

Admissibility of computer evidence

Finally, there is also the critical question of how computer evidence is adduced and examined in our legal system. 

It is only in the last 25 years that such evidence can be, if you will, taken on the nod, and in that time it has been assumed to be bone fide. 

If anything illustrates the insufficiency of such an approach it is the experience of those on the wrong end of the Post Office action.

I had tabled an amendment to address this exact issue. My proposed amendment would have set out: “The secretary of state must, within six months of this passing of this Act, lay before Parliament a review of the role of computer evidence in the convictions quashed under this Act. The review under subsection (1) may include recommendations to address any issues identified by the review in relation to standards of computer evidence used in court proceedings.”

An important issue, still in need of urgent attention. A huge question for our justice system in the age of artificial intelligence.

Conclusion

We did not get the opportunity to make the Post Office Bill better. It finds its way into statute as a suboptimal piece of legislation, passed through an inadequate, rushed wash-up process, leaving several critical issues unresolved. For the next government, this must be at the top of page one of their priorities.

#Post #Office #Offences #Bill #leaves #unresolved

TAGGED:BillleavesoffencesofficepostUnresolved
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Email Copy Link Print
Share
What do you think?
Love0
Sad0
Happy0
Sleepy0
Angry0
Dead0
Wink0
Previous Article Coming-of-Age Runway Shows : Dhruv Kapoor Coming-of-Age Runway Shows : Dhruv Kapoor
Next Article France’s snap election: Five questions for markets By Reuters France’s snap election: Five questions for markets By Reuters
- Advertisement -

Latest Post

Where in the world are babies at the lowest risk of dying?
Where in the world are babies at the lowest risk of dying?
World News
Will Bitcoin hodlers be the reason more countries adopt wealth taxes?
Will Bitcoin hodlers be the reason more countries adopt wealth taxes?
Cryptocurrency
Philippine president’s allies on course for most available Senate seats in election 
Philippine president’s allies on course for most available Senate seats in election 
World News
Is VET poised for a 300% surge?
Is VET poised for a 300% surge?
Cryptocurrency
Cardano bulls set eyes on  as institutional adoption grows amid BTC integration
Cardano bulls set eyes on $1 as institutional adoption grows amid BTC integration
Cryptocurrency
Zelenskyy agrees to meet Putin
Zelenskyy agrees to meet Putin
World News
- Advertisement -

You Might Also Like

SpaceX will reap the benefits of new Dragon research opportunity
Technology

SpaceX will reap the benefits of new Dragon research opportunity

February 3, 2024
CrowdStrike chaos: Enterprises urged to take protective action in wake of botched software update
Technology

CrowdStrike chaos: Enterprises urged to take protective action in wake of botched software update

July 24, 2024
Moemate’s AI avatar analyzes your whole screen, with spotty but intriguing results
Technology

Moemate’s AI avatar analyzes your whole screen, with spotty but intriguing results

August 18, 2023
The First Social Media Reactions Are here
Technology

The First Social Media Reactions Are here

August 18, 2023

About Us

NEWS JUNCTION (NewsJunction.xyz) Your trusted destination for global news. Stay informed with our timely and accurate reporting on diverse topics, including politics, technology, science, entertainment, sports, and more. Count on us for unbiased and reliable updates at your fingertips.

Quick Link

  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact

Top Categories

  • World News
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Sports News
  • Trend
  • People

Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

    © 2023 News Junction.
    • Blog
    • Advertise
    • Contact
    Welcome Back!

    Sign in to your account

    Username or Email Address
    Password

    Lost your password?