The Post Office failed to properly investigate why money had gone missing from branches before launching court proceedings against subpostmasters , a report revealed yesterday . Many were sacked , stripped of their savings and even jailed after cash shortfalls were recorded at some branches – despite claims that a faulty IT system was to blame . The Post Office asked forensic accountants Second Sight to investigate the Horizon IT system in 2012 , following complaints from dozens of subpostmasters who said they had been wrongly accused of theft , fraud and false accounting when cash shortfalls were discovered . The Post Office failed to properly investigate why money had gone missing from branches before launching court proceedings against subpostmasters , a report has revealed ( file picture ) Now a leaked copy of the accountants ’ independent report has suggested that the discrepancies could have been caused by computer failures , cyber criminals or human error . It also accused the Post Office of failing ‘ in many cases ’ to identify ‘ the root cause of shortfalls ’ before starting civil or criminal proceedings . The review said some criminal cases brought by the Post Office were ‘ motivated primarily ’ by a desire to recover the money and did not appear to be supported by sufficient evidence . It went on to claim that the Post Office had failed to provide the accountancy firm with the documentation they required , and had ‘ terminated ’ their contract before they finished their research . The report has sparked fresh calls for a full independent inquiry into the computer system used by postmasters after the report reported concerns that ‘ in some circumstances Horizon can be systemically flawed ’ . Former Conservative MP James Arbuthnot said some subpostmasters had been 'dragged through the mud ' Former Conservative MP James Arbuthnot , who led an MPs ’ campaign to support the subpostmasters , said : ‘ These people have been pillars of the community who had their reputations dragged through the mud – some have been sent to prison , they ’ ve been made bankrupt , they ’ ve had contracts terminated , I understand at least one has committed suicide . And the way they have been treated is an utter disgrace . I think there needs to be an independent inquiry. ’ Responding to the report , the Post Office said the review had repeated ‘ complaints made by a very small number of former postmasters , as well as a number of assertions and opinions ’ – but had not offered any new evidence to support the claims . They pointed out that they have received 150 complaints about the IT system since it opened a complaints system two years ago , a number they said represents a ‘ tiny fraction ’ of the 500,000 people who had used the system ‘ effectively ’ . A spokesman said : ‘ In none of Post Office ’ s own work , nor through any of Second Sight ’ s work , has any information emerged to suggest that a conviction is unsafe. ’ But Andy Furey , of the Communication Workers Union , said : ‘ This is another damning report which reiterates the serious concerns of many postmasters . Part of the problem throughout has been the bullish behaviour of the Post Office towards postmasters who feel that they are helpless victims of a computer system gone wrong. ’ Sacked : Subpostmaster Michael Rudkin , 57 . A subpostmaster was pursued to the brink of ruin and his wife left contemplating suicide after being prosecuted by the Post Office . Michael Rudkin , 57 , believes action was taken against him after he allegedly discovered that data in branches could be altered remotely – potentially explaining mystery cash shortfalls . The day after Mr Rudkin expressed concern at the revelation , a Post Office auditor turned up at his shop in Ibstock , Leicestershire , to tell him £44,000 was unaccounted for . ‘ My world was turned upside down , ’ he said , adding : ‘ I became like a drowning man with no life raft. ’ Despite insisting he never saw a penny of the ‘ missing ’ funds , Mr Rudkin was forced to repay the money and his wife Susan , 60 , who did most of the day-to-day running of the branch , was prosecuted and given a suspended prison sentence . Mr Rudkin had his contract terminated while his wife was left ‘ contemplating suicide ’ after her conviction .
The Post Office failed to properly explain why money went missing . Many subpostmasters were sacked , stripped of savings and even fined . the Report postal discrepancies could have been caused by IT systems . Former ##post MP says Post postal workers were ' digging through the mud '