A postmaster supported by Princess Kate and her family has demanded justice for all who have been wrongfully accused in the Horizon IT scandal.
The local shopkeeper, Hasmukh Shingadia, 63, said that the Middleton family “supported me a lot” when he was accused of stealing £16,000 from the Post Office.
Shingadia was given a suspended jail term and convicted of false accounting after the faulty Horizon computer system showed £16,000 of discrepancies.
He is demanding that every conviction is overturned as over 700 sub postmasters have been wrongfully accused of stealing from the Post Office after the Horizon scandal.
Shingadia was given a suspended jail term and convicted of false accounting after the faulty Horizon computer system showed £16,000 of discrepancies.
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Princess Kate and her sister Pippa used to buy Haribos and Doritos from the Spar and Post Office that Shingadia ran in Upper Bucklebury, Berks.
Prince William would also buy ice cream and a newspaper from the shop while he was visiting Kate.
Shingadia said: “They continued to come into my shop and spend money here. Even after Kate got engaged she’d still pop in
“Not everybody did that and some locals shunned me.”
Michael Middleton congratulated Shingadia when his conviction was overturned.
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In 2011, Shingadia was invited to the royal wedding of Kate and Prince William.
Shingadia said: “It meant so much to us. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which they gave me despite the charges.
“I’ve known them more than 25 years, and they have always been such kind and welcoming people.
“After my conviction was overturned and it was in the media, Michael Middleton came in and asked what had happened.
“He was overjoyed and said, ‘Well done’. I know I couldn’t ask them for help directly because of the position they were in. But I am really grateful to the wider family for standing by me. They are really good people."
The Middleton family frequently visited Shingadia's shop
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Ex-post Office boss has handed back her CBE amidst the Horizon IT scandal.
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Shingadia is now demanding that Rishi Sunak clear the accusations of all 736 sub-postmasters convicted between 2000 and 2015.
Paula Vennels, the ex-post Office boss has handed back her CBE which she was awarded in 2019 for services to the organisation amidst the Horizon IT scandal.
Some of those wrongfully convicted faced financial ruin, around 236 branch managers were imprisoned and around 60 died before their convictions could be overturned.
Hasmukh said: “Those jailed will never get that time back. Even those who didn’t go to jail lost years with the stress.”