A FORMER north Essex postmaster says “responsibility lies squarely with Post Office” for the Horizon scandal.

Val and Carlo Guglielmi, from Lawford, have more than 80 years experience as postmasters between them.

Mrs Guglielmi, who was a postmaster for forty-five years, first taking over the business from her parents, believes she “one of the first people to use Horizon”.

She said having a “great manager” at her side meant she did not encounter issues that others did.

“Right from the beginning it was putting out wrong things and it was so new to what it used to be – pencil and paper,” she said.

The four-part ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which premiered on New Year's Day, has brought the issue to the forefront.

On Tuesday the ex-Post Office boss Paula Vennells returned her CBE and the government announced a plan to fast-track the overturning of more than 600 of the convictions.

Both Mr and Mrs Guglielmi said the reason why Colchester and much of north Essex avoided prosecutions was that they were “fortunate enough” to have “people with enough experience to turn to” if there were problems.

Mrs Guglielmi was also a branch secretary for what is now the National Federation of SubPostmasters, meaning she could see how much of a difference managerial “back-up” made.

Mr Guglielmi, who has 36 years postmaster experience, said the Post Office needed urgent accountability.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Carlo Guglielmi who ran Honeycroft Post Office in LawfordCarlo Guglielmi who ran Honeycroft Post Office in Lawford (Image: Submitted)

He said while working at the Honeycroft Post Office, in Waldegrave Way, he had three applicants apply for a role but two were dismissed externally for unknown criteria which he never discovered.

He said: “The post office are a law to themselves.

“If no one is prosecuted it will be a whitewash.”

The ITV drama exposed issues such as NDAs and help phone lines where self-employees were ignored.

Mr Guglielmi added: “You can’t blame a third party – responsibility lies squarely with the Post Office.”

A Post Office spokesman said: “We are doing all we can to put right the wrongs of the past, including providing full and fair compensation for those affected.

“Offers of more than £138 million have been made to around 2,700 Postmasters, the majority of which are agreed and paid. Interim payments continue to be made in other cases which have not yet been resolved.”