New book from John Hyde on the Post Office scandal
The Post Office’s lawyers knew the evidence was flawed but failed to act, in their quest to defend a corporation. Why did they not stop it?
The Post Office Scandal is an indelible stain on the British justice system: hundreds of sub-postmasters were wrongly labelled criminals, ruining lives and destroying communities. People wrongly convicted based solely on data from an IT system that was known to be unreliable. Lawyers, under a duty to act ethically and in the interests of justice, were supposed to act as gatekeepers and to prevent such a scandal from happening, but the evidence shows they failed to disclose crucial evidence, put the Post Office’s interests above their own obligations and led a costly and aggressive case against victims.
In Indefensible, John Hyde dives into how legal professionals failed in their duties, silenced the truth and even turned against the victims, including accounts from people who were advised to enter guilty pleas. But it is not just about the Post Office — this is a wider examination of the legal profession and its ethical boundaries, asking whether lawyers are putting clients’ interests above justice and how to stop such a disaster from happening again.
John Hyde is one of the foremost legal journalists in the UK with more than 15 years’ experience in reporting on the legal industry. He was a leading commentator on the Post Office scandal and live blogged daily from the inquiry. He started his journalism career in local news and is a regular speaker on radio, podcasts and at conferences.
We are delighted that John will be hosting a book launch in Manchester on 24th September from 18:00-19:30 at gunnercooke LLP’s office, 59 King St, Manchester M2 4PD. To secure your free place and for more information click here.