'Post Office scandal compensation is welcome - but shouldn't have taken so long'

10 January 2024 , 22:44

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'The Post Office scandal should've been resolved years ago'

Decades of destitution

The Post Office began persecuting sub- postmasters and postmistresses in 1999. In the following six years hundreds of innocent people were wrongly prosecuted because of the defective Horizon IT system.

They were humiliated, financially ruined and, in many cases, left destitute. Yesterday the Government finally set about righting this wrong by promising to pass a law that exonerates all those wrongly convicted.

While this is welcome, it should not have taken ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office to awaken ministers’ consciences. This is an outrage which should have been addressed more than a decade ago.

There also needs to be clarity about exactly how much compensation victims will receive. Depending on their circumstance, some will receive at least £600,000 while others are being offered an up-front payment of £75,000.

The money must redress not just their previous litigation costs but also the emotional and financial hardship they have endured. Justice will only be delivered if everyone is properly compensated and those responsible for the scandal are held to account.

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Voice of the Mirror