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The Post Office has agreed to compensate more than 500 former subpostmasters wrongfully convicted in the Horizon scandal – after bunging officials accidentally leaked their names and addresses on its website.
In a staggering data breach, the Mail revealed last June how 555 Post Office victims had their personal details published on the company’s website.
It was described as an insult to injury by those whose lives have already been ruined by being falsely accused of stealing in Britain’s biggest ever miscarriage of justice.
The 555 former postmasters whose home addresses have been published were among the group involved in bringing High Court class litigation against the Post Office in 2019.
Hundreds of innocents were bankrupted, jailed or driven to suicide after being wrongly accused of plundering their own tills between 1999 and 2015, when money appearing to be ‘missing’ from their branch accounts was really down to an IT glitch.
According to the BBC, the individuals whose personal details were leaked will be compensated in what could cost the Post Office up to £2.8million.
In a statement provided to the public broadcaster, the Post Office said victims would receive £5,000 or £3,500, depending on whether the address published last year was current, although higher claims may still be pursued.
The statement said: ‘We have written to all named individuals either directly, or via their solicitors.
This is a redacted version of the document containing personal details which was published in full in June last year
Former subpostmaster Sir Alan Bates who has long led the campaign to get justice for those affected by the Post Office scandal
Former Post Office subpostmasters celebrate after 42 of the victims were cleared in April 2021
‘If there are any individuals whose name was impacted by last year’s breach, but who have not received information about the payment for some reason, they can contact us or ask their solicitors if they have legal representation.’
Law firm Freeths told the BBC 348 clients who had their data breached had already received payment.
Lawyer Will Richmond-Coggan said: ‘We welcome the progress we have made with this case, but there is still a long way to go to recognise the devastating impact of this breach for those affected.’
More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted for stealing because of false information from the Horizon IT system.
Hundreds are still awaiting compensation despite the previous government announcing that those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for £600,000 payouts.
The Post Office has paid out roughly £438million to 3,100 claimants.
A Post Office spokesperson said: ‘Post Office can confirm that it has agreed to pay individuals whose names appeared in last year’s data breach either £5,000 or £3,500, depending on whether the individual was also living at the address at that time.
‘Post Office has confirmed that it will consider any special cases if any individuals consider they are entitled to further amounts.
‘We have written to all named individuals either directly, or via their solicitors. If there are any individuals whose name was impacted by last year’s breach, but who have not received information about the payment for some reason, they can contact us or ask their solicitors if they have legal representation.
‘In the meantime we remain in full cooperation with the ICO’s investigation which was opened following our initial self-referral when the breach was discovered.’
