General election stops Norwich Post Office Horizon petition

Roger Allen, who ran the St Johns Close post office in Lakenham between 1994 and 2002, failed to clear his name as one of 900 people accused of stealing money by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) from the highly controversial Horizon computer system.

Roger Allen, who died on March 9, was accused and convicted of a £37,000 fraud in 2004 (Image: Keren Simpson)

After Mr Allen's death on March 9, a petition was set up by Roger's daughter Keren Simpson to extend the Post Office Offences Bill to DWP cases after new legislation was introduced on March 13 by the government to speed up clearing victims' names and paying compensation.

However, Rishi Sunak announced on Wednesday that the general election will be on July 4, so the petition will close to new signatures because the current parliament will be dissolved.

Keren said: "We're really disappointed in the timing of the general election.

"While we're pleased that hundreds of convictions were rushed through to be quashed, we're devastated for the 100 DWP convictions that now won't. 

"It's like reliving the injustice all over again and unfortunately the government petition I worked so hard to bring awareness to - reaching more than 850 signatures - has now been cancelled. 

Roger Allen ran the St John's Close post office in Lakenham between 1994 and 2002 (Image: Newsquest)

"It means we'd have to start all over again in July which is heartbreaking and extremely frustrating.

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"Hopefully a new government will do the honourable thing and include DWP and convictions upheld by the Court of Appeal.

It was recently revealed reports suggested information was shared between the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Post Office in its investigations (Image: PA Media)

"However I will not stop fighting for my family, my dad's memory and all 100 convictions that currently still stand."

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Recently it was announced that police are planning to deploy 80 detectives for their criminal inquiry into the Post Office scandal.

Its investigation will look at potential offences of perjury and perverting the course of justice by Post Office senior leaders as well as the tech company associated with making the Horizon system, Fujitsu.

Separately, the public inquiry continues, which started in February 2021 but a final report is not expected to be published until autumn next year.

Keren said she will not stop fighting for my dad's memory (Image: Newsquest)