Three former subpostmasters have convictions quashed at Court of Appeal

Three former subpostmasters caught up in the Horizon scandal have had their decade-old convictions quashed at the Court of Appeal.

On Thursday, Allen Reynolds, Nilufar Ali and Davinder Bangay were cleared of their convictions for theft or fraud, each dating back to between 2008 and 2011, court staff said.

Each of the former Post Office workers was ordered to carry out at least 100 hours of unpaid work in their sentencings, with two of the former subpostmasters ordered to pay back more than £10,000 each after then-unexplained shortfalls in their accounts.

More than 700 Post Office branch managers around the UK were prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their shops.

Hundreds of subpostmasters and subpostmistresses are still awaiting compensation despite the Government announcing that those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for £600,000 payouts.

Solicitor Neil Hudgell, representing the three people cleared on Thursday, said: “We have three more badly wronged people today who have left court without a stain on their character.

“They are all heavily traumatised and private people, who are grateful for the outcry of public support, but who would like to reflect on matters in their own way, away from the glare of publicity.”