Committee publication · Correspondence · 6 January 2026
Letter from the Criminal Cases Review Commission relating to Post Office Capture cases, 19 December 2025
From: Business and Trade Committee
Inquiry: Post Office Horizon scandal: Justice for sub-postmasters
Summary
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) responds to the Business and Trade Committee's inquiry into Post Office Capture software cases. The CCRC reports receiving 35 pre-Horizon applications, with only one identified as involving Capture evidence (referred to Court of Appeal). The CCRC cannot provide a reliable count of Capture-related convictions due to incomplete records, hampers investigations, and cannot estimate a review timeframe.
Key findings
- Only 1 of 35 pre-Horizon applications identified as involving Capture software; a second case involved different challenged IT system (Automated Payment Services)
- CCRC unable to assess total number of Capture-related convictions; information provided by Department for Business and Trade and POL's solicitors is unreliable
- Six pre-Horizon cases have received final or provisional decisions not to refer; 27 cases still under investigation to determine if Capture was in use
- Investigations severely hampered by sparse records, expired defence file retention periods, and difficulty obtaining material from cases dating back decades
- CCRC recognises applicants are frequently elderly or vulnerable but has not conducted formal risk assessment of applicants dying before case review completion
Tone
FactualTopics
Key actors
Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), Liam Byrne MP, Business and Trade Committee, Department for Business and Trade, Post Office Ltd, Amanda Pearce, Kieron O'Malley, Dame Vera Baird
Notable line
“Establishing whether Capture may have been in use at the relevant branch at the relevant time is extremely challenging.”
Key Quotes
“The information does not provide a reliable list of Capture-related convictions. For example, we have received applications from people who do not appear on this list telling us that they have Capture-related convictions.”
“We have identified one case where there is evidence of Capture being relied upon in relation to the conviction. That case has already been referred to the Court of Appeal.”
“Establishing whether Capture may have been in use at the relevant branch at the relevant time is extremely challenging. We have served section 17 notices (s17 Criminal Appeal Act 1995) on Post Office and the relevant courts requiring the production of any available files or other relevant information but, given the age of the cases …”
“… we recognise that these applicants are frequently elderly or vulnerable, that these convictions date back several decades, and that a number of people with convictions passed away prior to their application being made to us.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗