Documents seen by Sky News suggest the Post Office knew about faults in Capture computer software before it was rolled out in 1992.
Notes from a meeting of “the Capture steering group” held in February/March – months before the system was introduced to branches in the summer of 1992 – described files as being “corrupted”.
It highlighted that “if the power was switched off when a file was open it would be corrupted. In this situation data should be checked and reinput”.
Capture was a piece of faulty computer software used in around 2,500 branches between 1992 and 1999 before the infamous Horizon scandal.
Many sub-postmasters made up potentially false accounting shortfalls from their own pocket with dozens, at least, convicted of stealing.
It was not until September 2024 that the government-commissioned Kroll report concluded it was likely the Capture software had caused accounting errors.
Another fault mentioned in the meeting notes, seen by Sky News, was if “part of the system was closed early, to produce client summaries any additional transactions might not be captured for that day”.
“If a high error rate was detected the software would need to be reworked.”
Another document called “Capture Troubleshooting Guide” from April 1993 – over a year after the steering group noted faults – again described “corrupt data” such as incorrect transaction values.
It concluded that the “cause” of this was “switching off the computer or a power cut (even if only for a few seconds) whilst in the Capture programme”.
It also put forward instructions to remedy the fault.
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Rupert Lloyd-Thomas, campaigner for Capture victims, said: “The Post Office knew…in 1992, long before the launch, that Capture could be zapped by a power cut.
“They did nothing about it.”
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Steve Marston, who was convicted of stealing from his Post Office branch in 1998 after using Capture, said the information did not come as any surprise.
“They’ve known since the very beginning it should never have been released,” he added.
It comes as the first Post Office Capture conviction was formally referred to the Court of Appeal last month, marking a major milestone in the IT scandal.
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The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) made the decision to refer the case of sub-postmistress Patricia Owen back in July.
Mrs Owen was convicted of theft by a jury in 1998, based on evidence from the faulty IT software Capture.
She was given a suspended prison sentence and fought to clear her name afterwards – but died in 2003.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission has been investigating around 30 cases potentially related to the Capture software system.
A Post Office spokesperson said: “We have been very concerned about the reported problems relating to the use of the Capture software and are sincerely sorry for past failings that have caused suffering to postmasters.
“We are determined that past wrongs are put right and are continuing to support the Government’s work in this area.
“Post Office has very limited records relating to this system and we encourage anyone who has Capture related material to share it with Post Office and the Criminal Cases Review Commission.”
