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Business reporters Tom Espiner and Esyllt Carr filed a report from The Oval, London, describing the devastating impact of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal on those wrongly accused and prosecuted for criminal offenses, as found in the first report from the official inquiry into the scandal. The report by Sir Wyn Williams revealed the profound suffering endured by hundreds of sub-postmasters who were wrongly prosecuted over shortfalls in their branch accounts, with at least 59 individuals considering suicide at various points and more than 13 potentially taking their own lives due to the scandal.
At a presentation at the Oval cricket ground in London, Sir Wyn’s first volume of the report concentrated on the human toll of the scandal, outlining the concerns around compensation and the lasting effects on victims. Divorces, severe mental health issues, and alcohol addiction were among the consequences faced by those affected by the ordeals, according to the inquiry’s findings. Urgent recommendations made in the report included providing free legal advice for claimants, compensation for close family members of those impacted, and establishing a restorative justice program involving Fujitsu, the Post Office, and direct meetings with individual victims by the government.
Following the criticism of “formidable difficulties” in delivering financial redress to victims, dividing the schemes into three distinct categories, Sir Wyn urged the government to redefine “full and fair financial redress” publicly and make necessary changes to the existing compensation schemes. The report indicated that 10,000 eligible individuals are currently seeking redress, a number expected to increase by “at least hundreds” in the coming months. The findings suggested that senior Post Office officials were aware or should have been aware of the Horizon software’s potential for false data, and Sir Wyn requested a government response by October 2025.
In response, Post Office minister Gareth Thomas announced eligibility for compensation for family members of Horizon victims who suffered personal injury due to their relative’s ordeal, although requiring written evidence of such injuries, except in exceptional circumstances. The Post Office expressed apologies for the suffering caused, promising to carefully review the report and its recommendations. The report also disclosed the significant legal costs incurred by the various compensation schemes, highlighting the expenditure of £100m on legal fees for the operational delivery of Horizon redress schemes, with law firm Herbert Smith Freehills paid £67m for their services on the Horizon Shortfall Scheme up to December 2, 2024
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