Family fight to clear sub-postmistress's name
Hudgell Solicitors/Family HandoutThe daughters of a former Kent sub-postmistress whose "world came to an end" when she was convicted of theft from her branch in the 1990s are fighting to clear her name.
In 1998, Patricia Owen was convicted of theft from the Broad Oak Post Office branch in Sweechgate, Canterbury, over a shortfall of £6,000.
Ms Owen used the Capture system, a precursor to Horizon which was used in branches from 1992 to 1999.
A Post Office spokesperson said: "We have been very concerned about the reported problems relating to the use of the Capture software and are sincerely sorry for past failings that have caused suffering to postmasters."
Ms Owen denied the charges against her but was found guilty of five counts of theft and received a six month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
She died in 2003 before details of the Post Office scandal came to light.
For her name to be cleared, Ms Owen's family say they need to apply to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), and their case may then be referred to the Court of Appeal.
'It was awful'
Ms Owen's daughter, Juliet Shardlow, 56, says it was a sentence which her mother never recovered from.
She said: "The Post Office suspended my mum and brought somebody else in to run the post office, and they said they'd not prosecute her if she sold the shop, but as mum had done nothing wrong, my dad said 'no' and so they prosecuted her.
"It destroyed my mum," Ms Shardlow said.
"Her world came to end when she lost her Post Office and was prosecuted. It was awful."
The Post Office spokesperson said: "We are determined that past wrongs are put right and are continuing to support the government's work and fully co-operating with the Criminal Cases Review Commission as it investigates several cases which may be Capture related."
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