Subpostmaster Martin Griffiths was one of the 13 individuals who tragically died by suicide after being ‘hounded’ by the Post Office, with his mental health left ‘completely destroyed’ by the ordeal
In a devastating update, it’s been determined that 13 individuals died by suicide in the aftermath of the Horizon IT scandal.
As detailed in the Post Office Inquiry, the scandal had a “disastrous” impact on the lives of postmasters across the UK, who faced financial and reputational ruin after being wrongly accused of crimes.
Thousands of blameless individuals saw their livelihoods left in tatters after a glitchy computer accounting system falsely detected financial shortfalls nationwide between the years 2000 and 2014
Among those affected was Martin Griffiths, who endured severe distress after software suggested his Ellesmere Port branch had shortfalls of over £100,000. In 2013, the father of two died by suicide at the age of just 59, having endured years of hell.
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Martin, a subpostmaster of 18 years, was accused of financial mismanagement at his Post Office branch and had been “hounded” by the Post Office over the till shortfalls and was even pursued over cash lost during a terrifying armed robbery.
In 2013, in the middle of this pressure, Mr Griffiths, who lived in the village of Guilden Sutton in Cheshire, took his own life. He parked up in his car on an A road in Ellesmere Port after leaving a note for his loved ones, and killed himself, his family previously said.
Attempts were made by Martin to fight back against the injustice he faced. He even wrote to the Post Office to say that he believed shortfalls were due to the Horizon accounting system, adding that he was considering discussing his treatment with the media and his local MP.
His family also stood by him. In July 2013, mere months before Martin’s tragic death, Martin’s mother wrote to the Post Office to inform them that her son was “under severe pressure”.
She and her husband had poured their life savings into trying to help Martin after he was ordered to make enormous repayments. Four months before his suicide, Martin’s contract was terminated.
As testified by former postmaster, Alan Bates, whose story was documented in the hit ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, the week before Martin died, he had attended a meeting with the Post Office to discuss his case. He had also complied with a request to attend the meeting by himself, without a lawyer present.
In a letter addressed to Post Office executives dated September 23, 2023, Alan, who has led the postmasters’ lengthy campaign for justice, offered an insight into Martin’s state of mind towards the end.
Alan wrote: “I know he was terrified to raise his shortages with POL (Post Office Ltd) because of just this type of thing happening to him, but POL got him in the end.
“Regardless of what may or may not have occurred with him, why did POL have to hound him to the point of trying to take his own life? Why?”
Martin’s family have spoken about the terrible strain the ordeal took on the sub-postmaster’s physical and mental health. Meanwhile, Martin’s daughter has made it clear that she holds the Post Office “solely and wholly responsible for what happened to him”.
In a letter written after the family were offered compensation, she said: “I understand that you are putting what you discussed with my Mum yesterday in writing to her.
“It appears from what I have heard that you are offering the £140k ‘compensation payment’ on the condition that we drop any action or legal recourse with the Post Office for any further compensation for its wrongdoing.
“No amount of financial compensation could replace the fact that the Post Office has taken our Dad away from our family, but simply put £140k ‘compensation’ for our Dad’s life is simply disgusting.”
Remembering the grief his family endured after losing Martin, his nephew, Samuel Caveen, previously told the Liverpool Echo: “The weeks after Martin died were the worst weeks of our lives. When my uncle passed away, I got a phone call in the middle of the night from his wife, Gina. That was horrendous.
“Looking back, his death seems to have stolen away such precious time. He should be a proud grandfather now as his son had a child last year and his daughter is expecting, but he’s not been here to see that.
He continued: “I feel like it’s a significant portion of my family taken away from me. Family gatherings were and have been curtailed. My uncle had his life and his reputation torn apart by the Post Office, and his mental health was completely destroyed. It’s an absolute tragedy.”
In the long-awaited document, Sir Wyn Williams, who chairs the Horizon IT Inquiry, stated that postmasters and their families should be regarded as “victims of wholly unacceptable behaviour” by the Post Office and software firm Fujitsu, while estimating that around 10,000 people could be eligible for compensation.
As well as the 13 people believed to have died by suicide as a result of the impact of the Horizon scandal, Sir Wyn has now revealed that 59 other individuals had given evidence asserting they had contemplated suicide, while 10 had made attempts to do so.
If you’re finding things tough and need someone to talk to, the Samaritans are always there. You can call their free helpline at any time on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email them at jo@samaritans.org or visit their website to find your nearest branch.
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com
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