Marion Fellows was at Holyrood this week alongside former postmasters Rab Thomson and Calum Greenhow as the Scottish Postmasters for Justice and Redress (SPJR) group was launched.

Former Motherwell and Wishaw MP Marion Fellows has helped to launch a new support group for Scottish postmasters affected by the Horizon scandal.

Mrs Fellows was at Holyrood this week alongside former postmasters Rab Thomson and Calum Greenhow as the Scottish Postmasters for Justice and Redress (SPJR) group was launched.

Ms Fellows, who chaired a parliamentary group on the issue prior to losing her seat at last year’s General Election, said it is important that postmasters receive redress after being treated “abominably”.

She said: “They had their whole lives turned upside down. Families broken.

“Children of postmasters, as well, were getting bullied in school. People committed suicide.

“It’s been a horrendous time.”

Mr Thomson reflected on how he had spent around 20 years fighting to clear his name after being accused of theft.

He said his mother had worked at the Post Office for 30 years and the accusation of theft against him came a few years after he took over the business.

He said: “I know she’s not going to be here to see what I’m doing, but hopefully she’s looking down at me and she knows what we’re trying to do.”

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The 65-year-old said the overturning of his conviction was a “weight off my shoulder”.

However the 20-year wait for justice “broke up our family”, he said.

He said: “It’s not the money, my life’s been ruined.

“No-one can really know it unless they’ve been through this. When I came in here today it broke my heart, because it was bringing everything back.”

He called on MSPs and the Scottish Government to publicise the scheme as much as possible, saying he would help anyone apply for redress.

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Mr Greenhow urged the Scottish Government to take a wider view of what kind of issues should be included in the reviews of convictions.

In 22 Scottish cases, convictions have not been quashed under last year’s Post Office (Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Act.

Last month, Lanarkshire Live spoke to one postmaster who was wrongly branded a “thief” in the Horizon Post Office scandal and was to receive a substantial compensation payout.

Selina Rashid and her dad Abdul had taken over the running of New Stevenston Post Office in Motherwell in 2014 but the move turned into a nightmare soon after.

Within six months they were being investigated over a shortfall of £6000, which was due to the Post Office’s faulty Horizon software system.

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Despite trying to plug the negative balance with their own money it grew, and the shortfalls soon exceeded £10,000.

The Scottish Government’s justice secretary, Angela Constance, encouraged anyone affected by the scandal to come forward, regardless of how long it has been.

She said: “I am pleased the legislation the Scottish government brought forward last year has now resulted in 64 people having their convictions identified as quashed and therefore access to redress from the UK government as a result.

“There is no time limit under the legislation and the Scottish government will always look into any cases where people give their name as a possible miscarriage of justice case.”

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The UK Government’s Post Office minister, Gareth Thomas, added: “The Horizon scandal represents one of the biggest miscarriages of justice of our time and has had a profound impact on thousands of postmasters, including across Scotland.

“One of the first acts of the new government was to launch the HCRS, which is paying redress to people like Rab who have had their convictions overturned by the legislation.”

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