Post Office Horizon system 'cost me my job and reputation' claims sacked postmistress from Wincanton
From a straightforward press release to a cagey but successful interview
Originally published: April 24, 2017
A former postmistress has vowed to fight to her dying breath to clear her name - claiming a new computer system cost her job and reputation.
Tracey Merritt, of Wincanton, was dismissed from her post at the Post Office in Yetminster near Sherborne amid claims of false accounting linked to the Horizon system.
When Post Office limited investigated she had her home searched and discovered that she could be facing possible criminal action when she saw a report in a local newspaper.
Two months later Post Office Limited announced that no further action would be taken against her.
Now she is among more than 1,000 people seeking to sue the company, claiming that discrepancies were caused by faults in its computer system.
Read the full story here.
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I first received notice of the Post Office group action lawsuit through a press release from one of the legal firms involves. My news editor informed me of Tracey Merritt's case, which I subsequently researched in our print archive system, Tark. I contacted the legal firm, first on the phone and then by email, to discuss whether they could put us in touch with her for an interview; we considered it would be in the public interest for our readers to know the allegations made about the Horizon system had affected people in our neck of the woods. Over the course of this conversation, it emerged that Tracey had been unhappy with the court coverage in the Western Gazette when the allegations were made about her. In order to secure the interview, I took the rare step of offering her final approval of the copy - after running the matter past my editor, who had no objections.
I visited Tracey at her home in Wincanton and spent around an hour talking to her about the case. Throughout my time at her house, I reassured her that we were concerned with getting her account correct and allowing her (as far as legally possible) to speak her mind about what had occurred to her. While she was cagey about her past experience with the newspaper (which predates my time working at Somerset Live), she was polite and very willing to open up about her experience. She agreed to be photographed outside her house and I assured her she would receive final copy approval, as had been agreed with the law firm, before I departed.
After writing up her comments, I contacted the Post Office and asked for a response to the allegations she had made about her treatment, and they responded quickly with a short statement. After my editor had checked the copy, I submitted it by email to Tracey's legal team to ensure that they were happy with it; in the end, they requested only minor amendments (such as removing her address), and said they were satisfied with our presentation of the story. From there it was a case of uploading the article and ensuring the picture was properly formatted.
Whenever I do human interest stories, I always prefer to interview people in person, since it allows you to build up a rapport that you won't always get over the phone. It also puts them at ease and helps to convince them that you have their best interests at heart, rather than simply trying to meet a deadline or hit a web target. My interview technique, being patient with Tracey and allowing her to speak her mind, meant she opened up to me in a way she otherwise may not have done.
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