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Post Office and Fujitsu accused of delaying £4m damages claim
Post Office and Fujitsu have been accused of driving up legal costs and delaying a former sub-postmaster from suing them for £4m in damages over the Horizon IT scandal, the High Court heard.
Lee Castleton OBE was pursued by the Post Office to recover £25,000 of cash it alleged was missing from his branch in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, in 2007. His two-year legal fight saw him declared bankrupt following legal costs of £321,000.
At the first hearing in his claim on Friday, the court was told that Fujitsu, the company responsible for the faulty software, had already racked up more than £700,000 in legal costs.
Mr Castleton is the first individual to take legal action against both organisations.
Friday’s preliminary hearing was about how the case should proceed.
The court heard that “hurdles” were being put in front of Mr Castleton to make his claim as “difficult, time-consuming and expensive as possible”.
His legal team allege the Post Office’s decision to pursue its 2007 civil claim against him was an “abuse of process of the court”, and that the eventual judgment was obtained by fraud.
They also all claim the state-run institution conspired with Fujitsu to pervert the course of justice by “deliberately and dishonestly” withholding evidence.
Mr Castleton was one of 555 sub-postmasters who took the Post Office to court in an epic legal battle, led by Sir Alan Bates.
They won their case in 2019 and agreed a settlement but they never received proper compensation because the money they received was largely swallowed up by the huge costs to fund their case.
Mr Castleton wants that settlement to be set aside, alleging it was fraudulently obtained involving “sharp practice” by the Post Office.
Both Post Office and Fujitsu are yet to file a defence to Mr Castleton’s claims but called for his case to be split into two trials.
They want a court to decide if the settlement agreement bars the former sub-postmaster from proceeding with his own individual claim and if it does, this would “dispose of the proceedings in their entirety”. Doing it this way, they argued, would save time and money.
But in written arguments on behalf of Mr Castleton, the court heard the reverse would be true and that his claim was of the “utmost simplicity.”
His barrister, Paul Marshall KC, rejected the need for a separate trial.
But at the conclusion of the hearing, Mr Justice Trower and Judge Francesca Kaye ordered for the trials to be split in two, saying they would give the reasons for their decision at a later date.
The Post Office, which is owned by the government, said it had made every effort to engage with Mr Castleton to overturn his civil judgment and remained more than willing to do so, but it did not accept his current claim was “a good one and it had a duty to its shareholders to defend it”.
Mr Castleton wants “vindication” that the judgement against him, that had “blighted” his and his family’s life for 20 years, was obtained dishonestly by the Post Office and for a judge to decide what he is owed.
Speaking outside of court, Mr Castleton told the BBC: “We know what we need to do and we’re very happy where we are.
“We’ll get a defence and that’s what we’ve been waiting for. The facts aren’t going to change. It’s just the money.”
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Piyush Goyal termed the Budget “economically and fundamentally very strong”, and stated that it “reflects the aspirations of the youth of the country”.
Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. (File photo)
Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday termed Budget 2026 “futuristic and holistic”, and stated that it “reflects the aspirations of the youth of the country and is forward-looking”.
Speaking exclusively to CNN-News18 on Budget 2026, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Goyal said, “This is a fabulous budget and it is very futuristic. The Budget 2026 has covered all sectors including technology, infrastructure, etc.”
“The technology sector has been given a thrust. The budget focuses on infrastructure. It is a holistic and forward-looking budget refecting future ready Bharat,” he said, adding, “The budget meets the aspirations of the youth and new India.”
Stating that the Budget is economically and fundamentally very strong, the Union Minister said, “Farmers, animal husbandry and labour-intensive sectors get a major push as this Budget focuses on investment, value addition and jobs.”
#Exclusive | “The Budget is economically and fundamentally very strong,”Preparing India for Viksit Bharat. Farmers, animal husbandry and labour-intensive sectors get a major push as the Budget focuses on investment, value addition and jobs.@Parikshitl in an exclusive… pic.twitter.com/tJr2SItcaW
— News18 (@CNNnews18) February 1, 2026
‘Budget 2026 Is Human-Centric’: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Union Budget 2026 is “human-centric and strengthens India’s foundation with path-breaking reforms.” The Prime Minister also described it as historic and a catalyst for accelerating the country’s reform trajectory and long-term growth.
Following the presentation of the Budget in Parliament, PM Modi said the proposals would energise the economy, empower citizens and give India’s youth fresh opportunities to scale new heights.
“This budget brings the dreams of the present to life and strengthens the foundation of India’s bright future. This budget is a strong foundation for our high-flying aspirations of a developed India by 2047,” he said.
Calling the government’s reform agenda a “Reform Express”, the Prime Minister added, “The reform express that India is riding today will gain new energy and new momentum from this budget.”
February 01, 2026, 19:01 IST
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Interest rates are widely expected to remain at 3.75% as Bank of England policymakers prioritise curbing above-target inflation while also monitoring economic growth, according to expert analysis.
The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is anticipated to leave borrowing costs unchanged when it announces its latest decision on Thursday, marking its first interest rate setting meeting of the year.
This follows a rate cut delivered before Christmas, which was the fourth such reduction.
At the time, Governor Andrew Bailey noted that the UK had “passed the recent peak in inflation and it has continued to fall”, enabling the MPC to ease borrowing costs. However, he cautioned that any further cuts would be a “closer call”.
Since that decision, official data has revealed that inflation unexpectedly rebounded in December, rising for the first time in five months.
The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation rate reached 3.4% for the month, an increase from 3.2% in November, with factors such as tobacco duties and airfares contributing to the upward pressure on prices.
Economists suggest this inflation uptick is likely to reinforce the MPC’s inclination to keep rates steady this month.
Philip Shaw, an analyst for Investec, stated: “The principal reason to hold off from easing again is that at 3.4% in December, inflation remains well above the 2% target.”
He added: “But with the stance of policy less restrictive than previously, there are greater risks that further easing is unwarranted.”
Shaw also highlighted other data points the MPC would consider, including gross domestic product (GDP), which saw a return to growth of 0.3% in November – a potentially encouraging sign for policymakers.
Matt Swannell, chief economic advisor to the EY ITEM Club, affirmed: “Keeping bank rate unchanged at 3.75% at next week’s meeting looks a near-certainty.”
He noted that while some MPC members who favoured a cut in December still have concerns about persistent wage growth and inflation, recent data has not been compelling enough to prompt back-to-back reductions.
Edward Allenby, senior economic advisor at Oxford Economics, forecasts the next rate cut to occur in April.
He explained: “The MPC will continue to face a delicate balancing act between supporting growth and preventing inflation from becoming entrenched, with forthcoming data on pay settlements likely to play a decisive role in shaping the next policy move.”
The Bank’s policymakers have consistently voiced concerns regarding the pace of wage increases in the UK, which can fuel overall inflation.
India’s budget focuses on infrastructure and defence spending and tax breaks for data-centre investments.
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