Man jailed over Post Office Capture scandal could get conviction quashed

A man jailed as part of a second scandal at the Post Office linked to the faulty Capture computer system could have his conviction overturned by the Court of Appeal. He is the third person found guilty of theft by the Post Office in the 1990s to have met the threshold for a potential miscarriage of justice by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). Narinder Aujla, 61, served four months in prison after being convicted in 1998 over alleged losses of £10,000 at his branch in Dudley in the West Midlands. The losses started around a year after he had the Capture IT system – used for processing cash – installed at his branch. Mr Aujla applied to the miscarriages of justice watchdog in June 2025 after The i Paper‘s long-running investigation revealed multiple instances of faults and errors in Capture. The CCRC says it has now referred Mr Aujla’s application to the Court of Appeal on the basis there is a “real possibility” it will be quashed. Mr Aujla follows other Capture victims Steve Marston, 72, and Patricia Owen, who died in 2003, in facing the prospect of having their criminal convictions overturned. Mr Marston, who helped to expose the second scandal at the Post Office, said it was “excellent news” that Mr Aujla’s case had been referred to the Court of Appeal, adding: “I feel so sorry that yet another life has been destroyed by using Capture.” Exposing the scandal The i Paper first revealed claims from former sub-postmasters of a second faulty IT system linked to wrongful convictions in January 2024.Capture, a primitive accounting system, was rolled out to thousands of branches in the 90s. Users would frequently experience unexplained losses when trying to balance the books. In a precursor to the notorious Horizon scandal, the Post Office ignored their complaints and sub-postmasters were forced to hand over money, sacked, and in some cases, criminally prosecuted. Steve Marston was prosecuted by the Post Office in 1998 (Photo: Tom Pilston/The i Paper) Following a series of investigations published by The i Paper – including obtaining documents that showed the Post Office was aware of bugs and defects in the Capture system – the government agreed to carry out an independent review. The Kroll report confirmed Capture was capable of causing unexplained losses and the government set up a new compensation scheme, which has since paid out at least £8.5m to hundreds of victims. But those with criminal convictions will not receive a penny until their cases are quashed. Post Office attempts to block appeals Despite having offered public support to Capture victims, the Post Office has written lengthy objections to the Court of Appeal. In an ironic twist, the Post Office asked judges to rely on 30-year-old newspaper reports to assess the reliability of Mr Marston’s conviction. His and Mrs Owen’s cases are expected to be considered by judges in the new year. Patricia Owen, pictured with husband David, was convicted of theft by the Post Office in 1998 while using the Capture system Mr Marston said: “Despite the Post Office knowing that Capture should never have been forced onto sub-postmasters, it blamed us all when the software produced losses – no doubt in order to protect their own interests. “I have no doubt the Post Office will contest [Mr Aujla’s case] as well, causing further anguish, which is abhorrent.” The CCRC says it has received 40 applications relating to Post Office prosecutions which predate the Horizon system so far. Of these, 21 were rejected on the basis that assessors did not think there was a realistic possibility they would be overturned. Twelve cases continue to be reviewed. Growing body of evidence that Capture was a ‘guilty’ Post Office software system CCRC Chair Dame Vera Baird KC said: “This is now the third Capture-related conviction we have referred to the Court of Appeal, adding to a growing body of evidence that Capture was in that category of ‘guilty’ Post Office software systems which have generated so much wrong and suffering for hardworking sub-postmasters. “In Mr Aujla’s case, the new evidence, considered alongside the findings of the independent reports into Capture, gives rise to a real possibility that the Court of Appeal will conclude his prosecution was an abuse of process. “Cases of this kind also serve as a reminder of the profound personal impact that criminal convictions can have. The consequences have often extended far beyond the courtroom, affecting their livelihoods, finances, reputations, and family lives for many years.” A Post Office spokesperson said it wants all unsafe convictions to be overturned. “We will continue to assist the Criminal Cases Review Commission and the Court of Appeal by providing relevant information and evidence,” they added. “It will be for the Court to determine the safety of each conviction.” A Government spokesperson said: “We continue to work closely with the Criminal Cases Review Commission and its Scottish equivalent to provide any information relevant to their investigations. It is now for the independent courts to determine whether these convictions are safe. “If any convictions related to Capture are overturned, we are committed to ensuring appropriate redress is available to those affected.”