Archives :
Nick Wallis
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The first Clarke Advice

The Clarke Advice was written by the barrister Simon Clarke (above) when he worked for Cartwright King in 2013. I’m not sure it is has been published in full before, so here it is: For context as to the importance of this advice, see: What’s in the 2013 Simon Clarke document? Oral submission to support…
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Nailing Sir Peter Fraser – the legal hit squad

During the first week of phase two of the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry we discovered more about Lord Neuberger’s involvement in the decision to ask Mr Justice Fraser to recuse (remove) himself as managing judge from the Bates v Post Office group litigation, something the Post Office recognised internally was “the nuclear option.” It’s…
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Brian out of the shadows

Brian Altman KC advised the Post Office on the Horizon scandal from 2013 right up until 2021. He has, in his career, held the title of First Senior Treasury counsel – the most senior prosecution barrister in England. Brian Altman’s advice to the Post Office is privileged, which means that had the Post Office chosen…
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Why was Horizon allowed to go live?

In my book I interview someone who was parachuted into Fujitsu [or more specifically, its subsidiary ICL Pathway] into the late 90s to try to rescue the Horizon project. He couldn’t. I called my interlocutor Clint because he didn’t want me to use his real name, and there was something steely-eyed about him. Of the…
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Crowdfunding the Inquiry

Rebecca Thomson and I have decided to try to crowdfund our coverage of the Post Office Horizon Inquiry, which re-starts open hearings this week. If you donate you will be subscribed to the “secret” email newsletter, written by me and sent out whenever something of interest is happening in this story. Your donation will allow…
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Post Office London Walk completed!

Thanks to everyone who kindly joined Ian Fagelson and the Bath Publishing team in his excellent Postman’s Park: Crime and Punishment walk around London. I took a break from writing about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard to join the 20+ crew last Thursday 29 September as we negotiated our way from the steps of St…
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We’re All Going On A Walk

Ian Fagelson does London walks. Ian is a lawyer who I met for the first time at my book launch. Ian has been ridiculously helpful with his advice on how to set up a charity, and did an awful lot of work (pro bono) in getting the Horizon Scandal Fund registered with the Charities Commission.…
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Eleanor’s Letter

Eleanor has spent many hours putting together serious and important research on what the Post Office and the government has been up to over the last 25 years with regard to the Horizon computer system. Recently, her precision-guided and relentless Freedom of Information requests grubbed up the Swift Review. This is a document so concerning…
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Press Release: Horizon Scandal Fund celebrates charitable status with substantial donation

For immediate release – 22 September 2022 The Horizon Scandal Fund is delighted to have received registered charitable status ten months after its launch. The Fund is celebrating the occasion by formally welcoming a substantial donation made by Flora Page, one of the barristers who represented three subpostmasters in their successful quest to overturn their…
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The Compensation Catch

Last week Alan Bates stunned a small, but significant number of members of the Justice for Subpostmasters’ Alliance with a circular sent out on 12 September. The members concerned are a sub-group of the 555 claimants in Bates v Post Office who have what the government are terming ‘complex’ situations. There are about 100 of…
