Sub-postmistress’s son has conviction quashed
THE son of a Greenock sub-postmistress who confessed to stealing £35,000 in order to save his mother from prison has had his theft conviction quashed.
Ravinder Naga won won his legal battle to have his name cleared by appeal judges who confirmed the administrative decision yesterday.
The 48-year-old was sentenced to 300 hours community service in February 2010 after pleading guilty to a charge of taking the money from the Post Office branch on Belville Street.
The missing cash was uncovered during an audit by Post Office investigators that led to the temporary closure of the store in May 2009.
Lawyers for Mr Naga sought to have his conviction quashed as they believed that in the absence of evidence from the faulty Horizon IT system, there wouldn’t be enough evidence available to find him guilty of any offence.
On Thursday, officials at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh confirmed that his case had been
dealt with.
More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted for stealing because of incorrect information from the Horizon computer system. It has been called the UK’s most widespread miscarriage of justice.
The Post Office itself took many cases to court, prosecuting 700 people between 1999 and 2015. Another 283 cases were brought by other bodies, including the Crown Prosecution Service.
Many sub-postmasters went to prison for false accounting and theft, and many were financially ruined.
In 2017, a group of 555 sub-postmasters took legal action against the Post Office. In 2019, it agreed to pay them £58 million in compensation, but much of the money went on legal fees.
The Metropolitan Police is investigating the Post Office over potential fraud offences.
In 2010, the Telegraph reported that Mr Naga’s solicitor, Jim Friel, told a court hearing that his client, who had initially been charged along with his mother, had gone to police and given a voluntary statement.
Mr Friel added: “This outlined his involvement in the offence and gave the Crown sufficient evidence to incriminate him and drop the charges against his mother.
“Although it wasn’t embezzlement, it was still a breach of trust and has caused great pain to his mother, who has forgiven him for what he has done.
“Mr Naga has given a cheque here today for £35,000 which can be repaid in compensation to the Post Office.”
Sheriff John Herald told Naga that the matter could be dealt with by way of a non-custodial disposal.
He told Naga: “You have come very close to hearing a cell door clang behind you because this is an offence that merits prison.”
Now, Mr Naga’s name has been cleared.