Overview

• The Criminal Cases Review Commission confirmed it has referred Patricia Owen’s conviction, the first case based on the Post Office’s Capture software to reach the Court of Appeal.
• Owen was found guilty of theft in 1998 on Capture evidence, received a suspended sentence, died in 2003, and her posthumous referral followed a family application submitted in January 2024.
• Sky News reported the discovery of a critical report on Capture and said the Post Office knew of its findings while prosecutions continued.
• The CCRC is examining more than 30 other pre‑Horizon convictions and has used statutory powers to compel the Post Office to disclose available material.
• CCRC chair Dame Vera Baird has described the case as potentially a touchstone for others, while the Post Office says it will fully cooperate and Owen’s daughter welcomed the step.