Former subpostmaster wins the right to appeal

THE criminal conviction of a former subpostmaster which was based on evidence from a third, potentially faulty Post Office system, has been referred to the Court of Appeal.

- JOSH PAYNE PA chief reporter

Patricia Owen's case was the first to be referred to the Court of Appeal

(Hudgell Solicitors)

Gareth Snow previously pleaded guilty to false accounting in July 2001 after admitting falsifying documents to cover losses of more than £57,000 at his branch in Denbighshire, resulting in him being jailed for six months.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) said his conviction has now been referred to the Court of Appeal after his initial prosecution was based on the Post Office's potentially faulty Automatic Payment Service (APS) and Automatic Payment Terminal (APT) system.

CCRC chair, Dame Vera Bird KC, said there appeared to be "no indication" the Post Office made an attempt to investigate other causes for the shortfalls in Mr Snow's accounts, adding that there was evidence the APS/APT system "could cause accounting errors".