Former sub-postmasters who were wrongfully convicted are set to receive full compensation, after a long-awaited decision from Post Office Minister Kevin Hollinrake. Before the ruling, the Post Office had offered some former sub-postmasters a lower settlement, as it believed the evidence surrounding Horizon software was not important in determining their guilt. This decision was overturned thanks to pressure from campaigners, including Professor Chris Hodges, chair of the Independent Horizon Compensation Advisory Board who said it was “unfinished business”.
Parmod Kalia and Teju Adedayo are two of the five sub-postmasters that became known as the “public interest cases”. The two had their convictions quashed at Southwark Crown Court in 2021. While the Post Office didn’t oppose their appeals on the grounds that it wasn’t in the public interest to pursue a retrial, it refused to pay full compensation for malicious prosecution, claiming there was a reasonable prospect of conviction if there had been retrials. This left Kalia and Adedayo feeling “victimised all over again”.
“I’m extremely grateful to the minister for this u-turn, but it should never have happened in the first place,” said Adedayo. It has been years of frustration for both victims and has left them under immense pressure to accept a financial settlement the Post Office offered them which was well less than sums offered to other wrongfully convicted sub-postmasters.
Those whose convictions have been overturned now have a choice in taking a fast-tracked £600,000 settlement or wait for full assessment of compensation. Parmod Kalia has decided to wait for full compensation but fears there may yet be another battle ahead
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