WE TRUSTED POST OFFICE

Lawman was unaware of any safeguards to verify details in case of tragic dad-of-five forced to plead guilty

- SALLY HIND

THE prosecutor who took a wrongly convicted Scottish postmaster to court made the decision based entirely on a report by Post Office investigators, an inquiry has heard.

David Teale, procurator fiscal for the Western Isles at the time of tragic William Quarm's case, said he was not aware of any "safeguards" to ensure the accuracy of statements made by investigators and that their account was often accepted on "trust".

The public inquiry into the Horizon scandal - which saw hundreds of sub-postmasters prosecuted over cash shortfalls flagged by faulty Fujitsu software - heard the procedure was different to England and Wales, where prosecutors would view material evidence prior to making a decision.

The inquiry was examining the case of dad-of-five William from North Uist who died before seeing his 2010 embezzlement conviction overturned in court last year.