Lucy Allan MP has welcomed the Government’s announcement that every wrongfully convicted Postmaster will be offered £600,000 in compensation in a major step towards restorative justice.
Every postmaster whose conviction relied on Horizon evidence and has now been overturned will be offered £600,000 to settle their claim. The Government will be working to deliver this money as quickly as possible to those affected.
Postmasters will also continue to receive funds to cover legal fees whilst they challenge their convictions in court.
Lucy Allan MP said:
This is a significant offer of compensation to victims of one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British history. At last, those who have faced years of injustice, and in many cases were wrongly imprisoned for crimes they did not commit, have the opportunity to receive substantial compensation.
No amount of money will ever put wrong the injustices faced by innocent Postmasters wrongfully convicted of crimes, but this is a substantial measure of compensation that goes some way to helping people put their lives back together and compensate for lost earnings.
I am grateful for the efforts of the Post Office Minister, Kevin Hollinrake MP, who has worked tirelessly within Government to fight for Postmasters.
Post Office Minister Kevin Hollinrake said:
This is about righting a wrong and providing some form of relief to those wrongfully caught up in this scandal.
Postmasters who were wrongfully convicted have been forced to endure great hardships, losing clean criminal records, loss of liberty and huge financial losses – that is why the Government believes today’s announcement can finally bring the pain to a close.
