Latest news with #PostOfficeHorizon
The National
3 days ago
- Politics
- The National
SNP minister raises concerns over Ash Regan prostitution bill
Siobhian Brown raised concerns about the move – which is part of legislation put forward by Alba MSP Ash Regan as part of her bill to criminalise the buying of sex. The community safety minister insisted that quashing convictions was an 'exceptional' measure and 'not a step that can be taken lightly'. Siobhian Brown (Image: Scottish Parliament) While Brown acknowledged Holyrood had passed legislation to quash convictions of those caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal, she said the cost of this was 'estimated to be £804,000 based on 200 people'. She noted that documents submitted as part of Regan's Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill suggested that since 1982 a total of 10,459 women have been convicted of soliciting. With these documents also indicating that Police Scotland 'currently holds 2773 case records involving 791 individuals', Brown said this 'raises some concerns about the accuracy of the associated costs – around £250k – detailed in the bill's financial memorandum'. READ MORE: Palestine Action takes UK Government to court over use of anti-terror laws Her comments came in a letter to Holyrood's Criminal Justice Committee, which is due to scrutinise the legislation the Alba MSP has put forward. She went on to state there was 'insufficient detail' on how proposals to provide support to those involved in prostitution to help them change their lifestyle 'would work in practice', including how long such measures would be available for and what the costs would be. Regan's member's bill also sets out to criminalise those buying sex while decriminalising those selling it. Ash Regan Under the proposals, those convicted of buying sex could be fined up to £10k if the case was prosecuted in the sheriff courts – with these courts also able to impose jail sentences of up to six months. Brown stressed that while the Scottish Government backed the 'underlying intent of the bill to challenge men's demand and to tackle commercial sexual exploitation', she added there were still 'significant questions and concerns regarding the measures within the bill and how they would work in practice, the extent to which they would deliver on the policy intent, and the associated financial implications'. Her comments came after a paper published last week by the Scottish Government said evidence was 'limited' on the impact of these 'challenging demand approaches'. In the wake of that, sex worker safety charity National Ugly Mugs urged MSPs to 'pull the plug' on Regan's 'misguided and dangerous' bill. READ MORE: Social Security Scotland is 'shining example of what we can do with independence' Chief executive Lynsey Walton said: 'Sex worker groups, alongside leading NGOs like Amnesty and the World Health Organisation, have long warned that criminalising the purchase of sex only serves to make life more difficult and dangerous for sex workers, while having no impact on trafficking and exploitation. 'We are pleased that the Scottish Government has now accepted that the international evidence backs this up. 'MSPs now need to pull the plug on Regan's misguided and dangerous legislation, and focus on supporting sex workers' rights to work safely and free from stigma.' Regan has been contacted for comment.
STV News
3 days ago
- Politics
- STV News
Minister has ‘significant and deep concerns' about Ash Regan's prostitution Bill
A Scottish Government minister has highlighted 'significant and deep concerns' about a new Bill which could quash convictions for those involved in prostitution. Siobhian Brown raised concerns about the move – which is part of legislation put forward by Alba MSP Ash Regan as part of her Bill to criminalise the buying of sex. The community safety minister insisted that quashing convictions was an 'exceptional' measure and 'not a step that can be taken lightly'. While Brown acknowledged Holyrood had passed legislation to quash convictions of those caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal, she said the cost of this was 'estimated to be £804,000 based on 200 people'. PA Media Community safety minister Siobhian Brown wrote to MSPs on the Criminal Justice Committee setting out the Government's initial view on the Bill (Jane Barlow/PA) She noted that documents submitted as part of Regan's Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill suggested that since 1982 a total of 10,459 women have been convicted of soliciting. With these documents also indicating that Police Scotland 'currently holds 2,773 case records involving 791 individuals', Brown said this 'raises some concerns about the accuracy of the associated costs – around £250,000 – detailed in the Bill's financial memorandum'. Her comments came in a letter to Holyrood's Criminal Justice Committee, which is due to scrutinise the legislation the Alba MSP has put forward. She went on to state there was 'insufficient detail' on how proposals to provide support to those involved in prostitution to help them change their lifestyle 'would work in practice', including how long such measures would be available for and what the costs would be. Regan's member's Bill also sets out to criminalise those buying sex while decriminalising those selling it. Under the proposals, those convicted of buying sex could be fined up to £10,000 if the case was prosecuted in the sheriff courts – with these courts also able to impose jail sentences of up to six months. Brown stressed that while the Scottish Government backed the 'underlying intent of the Bill to challenge men's demand and to tackle commercial sexual exploitation', she added there were still 'significant questions and concerns regarding the measures within the Bill and how they would work in practice, the extent to which they would deliver on the policy intent, and the associated financial implications'. Her comments came after a paper published last week by the Scottish Government said evidence was 'limited' on the impact of these 'challenging demand approaches'. In the wake of that, sex worker safety charity National Ugly Mugs urged MSPs to 'pull the plug' on Regan's 'misguided and dangerous' Bill. Chief executive Lynsey Walton said: 'Sex worker groups, alongside leading NGOs like Amnesty and the World Health Organisation, have long warned that criminalising the purchase of sex only serves to make life more difficult and dangerous for sex workers, while having no impact on trafficking and exploitation. 'We are pleased that the Scottish Government has now accepted that the international evidence backs this up. 'MSPs now need to pull the plug on Ms Regan's misguided and dangerous legislation, and focus on supporting sex workers' rights to work safely and free from stigma.' Regan has been contacted for comment. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Powys County Times
6 days ago
- Powys County Times
Criminal trials linked to Post Office Horizon scandal could wait until 2028
Criminal trials stemming from the Post Office Horizon scandal might not get underway until 2028, according to the police officer leading the investigation. Commander Stephen Clayman said police are 'making some real progress' but warned it would take time as they widen the investigation from people 'involved in the immediate decision-making'. He told the BBC: 'The teams need to be really meticulous and pay attention to detail. 'We are beginning to scope, looking at wider management. That will happen, and is happening, it will just take time to get there.' The investigation, known as Operation Olympos, is focusing on potential crimes of perjury and perverting the court of justice, linked to the wrongful prosecutions of sub-postmasters and the wider presentation of the Horizon IT system. Police have said the inquiry is 'unprecedented' in size, with potentially more than 3,000 victims and evidence currently including more than 1.5 million documents that have to be reviewed and forces across the UK involved. No decision will be made over potential criminal charges until the public inquiry into the scandal has published its final report and investigators have 'thoroughly reviewed' its contents. It is understood that dozens of people have been classed as persons of interest in the investigation. The investigation has identified seven suspects, according to the BBC. Former sub-postmaster Tim Brentnall told the BBC victims were 'desperate to see some kind of accountability', but backed the need for police to 'do it properly'. More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts. Hundreds are still awaiting compensation despite the previous government saying that those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for £600,000 payouts. The scandal is one of the most widespread miscarriages of justice in British legal history. A Post Office spokesperson said: 'Post Office has co-operated fully and openly with the Metropolitan Police since early 2020 to provide whatever information it needs for its investigations.'
ITV News
6 days ago
- ITV News
More than 45 people linked to Post Office scandal under criminal investigation, police say
ITV News has learnt that more than 45 people are now under investigation in connection with the Post Office Horizon scandal, as ITV News Reporter Chloe Keedy explains More than 45 individuals are under criminal investigation in connection with the Post Office Horizon scandal, with seven formally identified as suspects, according to the Met Police and National Police Chiefs' Council. Commander Stephen Clayman, who is leading the investigation - known as Operation Olympus - did not disclose any names, but said the individuals include Post Office investigators, solicitors and a "chain of management". "We are beginning to look at the layers of management and that will, in time, extend to executive members and board members," he told ITV News. "Obviously we're building cases here around perjury and perverting the course of justice. They're very serious offences. "So we have to be really detailed and understand what part a person played in that particular investigation or litigation," he added. A man and woman, both in their 60s, were interviewed under caution in late 2021, and a man in his 60s was interviewed under caution late last year. Earlier this year, police interviewed another man in his 60s. No arrests have been made yet. For investigators, progress has been slow, but significant. Since starting the operation six months ago, the team was scaled up to over 100 officers and staff from across the UK and the volume of material under review has quadrupled from 1.5 million to six million documents. These numbers, along with the total of suspects, are expected to rise further. "What I can say is, is that I'm really confident the team is building a really robust case, which, of course, the Crown Prosecution Service will look at and make that final decision," Clayman told ITV News. "But I'm really confident that the investigative strategy is really sound." Former Post Office manager Janine Powell, 53, told ITV News she thinks it will be "a long while before we even see any progress." The 53-year-old was wrongfully accused of stealing more than £74,000 from her branch in Tiverton, Devon. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and served five of them. "They're not sorry at all and I just think maybe they should go through what we've all had to go through, what our children had to go through, our family. I've had to start over again and again and its not easy," she said. Her daughter, Sophia, who was ten when Janine was sent to prison, said potential convictions of people responsible for the scandal will not take away from her childhood drama. "Even if people get convicted, its never going to change anything that's happened. It's not going to bring my childhood as a ten-year-old back. "They will never truly understand or feel what we went through. We had to start from scratch." Between 1999 and 2015, more than 900 subpostmasters were prosecuted after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts. A total of 236 sub-postmasters were sent to prison.
Daily Mirror
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Simon Cowell slams Post Office as postmasters choir perform 'a massive F you'
Britain's Got Talent judge Simon Cowell gave Hear Our Voice a glowing review as they performed in the final, revealing that their win would be "a massive F you to a certain group of people who deserve it". Speaking about the choir - made up of people affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal - who performed an original song in tonight's final, Simon said: "It was so emotional that first audition and I was so happy when the public voted you as the winners because it told us that the public haven't forgotten about you and they really, really want you to succeed, get justice. "I know we said it quite a lot last time but I'm absolutely thrilled that you're at the final and if you won, it would be a massive F you to a certain group of people who deserve it."
