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At Least 13 People Died by Suicide Amid U.K. Post Office Scandal, Report Says

(www.nytimes.com)
630 points xbryanx | 2 comments | 11 Jul 25 11:56 UTC | HN request time: 0.52s | source
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akudha ◴[11 Jul 25 14:03 UTC] No.44532288[source]▶
This was depressing to read. Failures at so many levels.

1. Immediately after Horizon was rolled out, issues were reported. But ignored

2. Prosecutors didn't bother to verify if there is another explanation before accusing thousands of people of stealing? Isn't it common sense to pause for a second and think, "could we please double check the evidence? how can thousands of postal workers suddenly turn into thieves?"

3. local newspaper had published a photo of her and labeled her the “pregnant thief.” - of course, UK tabloids. Click baits and write whatever the fuck they want, no matter whose lives are destroyed

4. post office has said that it does not have the means to provide redress for that many people - so they have the means to falsely prosecute and destroy the lives of thousands of people, but they don't have the means to correct their blunders?

This happened more than a decade ago. Citizens are expected to do everything on time (pay taxes, renew drivers license...) or get fined/jailed, but the government can sit on their butt for 10 YEARS and do nothing about a blunder they caused?

What about Fujitsu? Why can't the government make Fujitsu pay for the destruction caused by their shitty software?

Jeez. This is just fucking nuts

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rossant ◴[11 Jul 25 15:11 UTC] No.44533037[source]▶
Read about this [1, 2]. This is not yet a well-known scandal, but I expect (and hope) it will surface in the coming years or decade. It is on an even bigger scale, not limited to a single country, and it has been going on not just for 10 years but for many decades.

[1] https://cambridgeblog.org/2023/05/a-journey-into-the-shaken-...

[2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37650402

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1. insane_dreamer ◴[11 Jul 25 22:39 UTC] No.44537496[source]▶
Reminds me somewhat of the child sex abuse hysteria in the 80s/90s involving daycare centers and the many horrific accusations that people took at face value and without question, being (rightfully) concerned for the wellbeing of the children. It was finally understood that it was relatively easy to plant false memories in young children through suggestive questioning. People went to jail for years before their convictions were overturned, and the impact on society lives on.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day-care_sex-abuse_hysteria

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/10/us/the-trial-that-unleash...

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2. hermitcrab ◴[11 Jul 25 23:33 UTC] No.44537885[source]▶
It is crazy to think that anyone believed these nursery workers were committing massive levels of abuse on children in broad daylight at the nursery. Somewhere that parents were coming and going all the time. I can't imagine what it was like for the people wrongly accused.