Roopie Gill has returned to her post office in Handsworth, Birmingham, more than a year after being exonerated from false accusations of theft. Gill, who was wrongly convicted of stealing approximately £38,000, is believed to be the first victim of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal to return to her former role.
Her ordeal, which lasted 15 years, led to the loss of her home, her husband's life, and her reputation. Gill described her return to the counter as a 'Peggy Mitchell moment,' referencing the EastEnders character who famously declared, 'Get outta my pub.' She has publicly stated that she will sue anyone who calls her a thief again.
Gill's family has run the convenience store and post office for 50 years. Her father, Nirmal Singh Kailey, a highly educated man who came to the UK from India in 1956, established the business. He was reportedly one of the first Asian men outside of London to run a post office, a role considered unusual at the time. Gill herself began working in the shop as a child and took over as sub-postmistress in 2005 with her husband, Raju. They managed the post office until discrepancies began appearing in the accounts around 2008.
Frustrated by the apparent shortfalls, Gill contacted the Post Office's helpline but was told to resolve the issues herself. As the missing amounts grew, she and her husband began using their savings and mortgage payments to cover the gaps. The strain led to personal difficulties, including her husband's increased drinking, which ultimately contributed to his death from hypothermia at age 38 after falling outside their home. Gill also attempted suicide twice during the period of accusation.
The Post Office auditors arrived in 2009, and Gill was subsequently arrested in front of customers in 2010. Advised to plead guilty to avoid prison, she confessed to theft and false accounting to be able to return home to her children. Her parents, who never believed in her guilt, were present in court. Following her conviction, her parents sold property and pawned heirlooms, and money from her daughter's university grant was used to try and cover the debts. Her house was repossessed.
The Horizon IT system, implemented by the Post Office, created phantom cash shortfalls that led to around 3,500 sub-postmasters being accused of theft. More than 900 were prosecuted, and 236 were imprisoned. The scandal has been linked to at least 13 suicides.
Following public attention, particularly after the 2024 ITV drama 'Mr Bates vs. The Post Office,' public opinion shifted. In December of that year, Gill received a court letter exonerating her of all wrongdoing. She then took the step of requesting her sub-postmistress position back, a move some family members initially considered 'mad.'
Gill has since put her father's photograph back on the wall and is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the family shop this weekend. Despite being exonerated, she has not yet received any compensation. She stated that she believes heads should roll among those responsible for the scandal, emphasizing the importance of building bridges rather than destruction, lessons she attributes to her father.