'Becoming a sub-postmaster was the worst decision of my life'

"You'll have to forgive me, I still get very emotional," he says. Nearly 11-and-a-half years have passed since sub-postmaster Malcolm was suspended and then dismissed over shortfalls caused by faulty software. Today he and wife Lesley are still living with the consequences. They are among more than 3,000 people who have suffered as a result of the Post Office Horizon scandal.

Home for the couple is now an annex at their daughter's house in Emsworth as they continue their long fight for compensation. They have watched Mr Bates v The Post Office, the recent TV dramatisation that has put the issue firmly in the spotlight. Even after so long, it is still raw.

Lesley says: "We watched the first episode and couldn't sleep afterwards, so we watched the rest during the day to protect our wellbeing."

Following their move to Emsworth they contacted Havant MP Alan Mak, who has since campaigned on their behalf in Parliament. After meeting the couple, Mr Mak spoke to Post Office Minister Kevin Hollinrake in Westminster to personally raise their case.

He has also written to the Department for Business and Trade to request that resolution of their claim be accelerated. He says: "The Post Office Horizon scandal is a great miscarriage of justice and I am supporting Mr and Mrs Simpson with their compensation claim.

"I spoke about them and their campaign for justice in the House of Commons Chamber, and have met the Post Office Minister on several occasions since to champion their case. I will continue to work hard for them on this issue.”

The couple were full of optimism when they bought Boxgrove Stores near Chichester as a going concern in 2003 and moved into an attached three-bed house.

Malcolm, 63, explains: "It was just what we wanted, in a rural community and a reasonable distance from our family. We were excited about it."

They worked hard to develop the retail business and when the existing sub-postmaster who ran the post office on the premises left in 2008, it seemed a logical step for Malcolm to become sub-postmaster.

It was an attractive salary and a steady income, so he paid the outgoing sub-postmaster £12,000 for the goodwill and took over. He reflects: "In hindsight, it was the worst decision of my life."

Malcolm says training on the Horizon system was inadequate and he felt like he was 'thrown in at the deep end' and left to struggle. He soon found there were frequent shortfalls, which he made up with his own money. "We were told we were the only ones having problems. But we now know that wasn't the case."

One day in 2012 Post Office auditors arrived. Lesley recalls: "We gave them tea and biscuits and were friendly towards them because we thought it would just be an audit. It is ironic but we were pleased to see them. We thought it would get everything sorted out. But they sealed up the post office door with tape and took the keys."

Malcolm was suspended that day and then his contract was terminated. He was told to repay £13,000 immediately and was threatened with criminal proceedings if he failed to do so. He had to borrow the money from his father. Lesley recalls: "The whole thing was brutal."

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Malcolm felt shame and humiliation at having to tell customers why the post office had suddenly closed. His dismissal made him so anxious he couldn't sleep. He says he felt like a failure. A temporary sub-postmaster was then appointed to run the post office. But the couple decided they no longer wanted it on their premises and the equipment was eventually removed. Lesley says: "The guilt that Malcolm felt was horrendous." Malcolm adds: "I felt like the bloke who had lost the community its post office. It was devastating."

Lesley explains: "He went into himself. He was a confident guy, but it changed him completely."

The couple converted the former post office area into a small cafe. But when someone offered to buy the whole business in 2017, they decided to get out. The following year Malcolm suffered two strokes. The mental stress of being wrongly accused of theft, trying to keep his business going and pay his mortgage had taken its toll. In the end, they had no option but to sell their house and move in with their daughter.

Malcolm says: "I am very lucky. I am married to a very strong woman who got me through it." The couple are still campaigning for ''full and fair'' restitution and compensation swiftly paid to all the affected sub-postmasters. Malcolm adds: "Others have suffered a lot more than us. But we are still carrying round this massive burden. It drags you down. I just want to have a bonfire with all the paperwork and forget all about it."

In 2022 he spoke at the Post Office Horizon inquiry and gave a powerful human impact statement. Malcolm says: "I found it very cathartic. Everyone had their own story to tell."

Today he and Lesley are represented by a law firm as they continue to pursue their on-going claim for compensation. Lesley says: "Malcolm didn't go to prison, but it still changed our lives."