People who were caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal are being urged to claim compensation scheme. National law firm Freeths advised postmasters and others who were affected to look at the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) which will financially aid those who were wrongfully convicted but are yet to receive compensation. Freeths launched the original High Court victory for 555 sub-postmaster clients.
James Hartley, Partner and National Head of Dispute Resolution at Freeths said: “We remain focused on achieving full and fair compensation for the postmasters who we acted for in the successful high court proceedings. The Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme gives us the opportunity to help those who have not yet been compensated following the Horizon scandal.
“We want to ensure that everyone is properly compensated to help them recover from the devastating consequences of the Post Office Horizon scandal.”
Sir Alan Bates, who has been one of the leading figures in the campaign to find justice for those affected by the Horizon scandal, said: “It has taken a long time to get to this point, but now is the opportunity for all eligible people to come forward, clear your names and seek financial redress. So I urge and recommend that you contact Freeths to check your eligibility and pursue your claims.”
Who is eligible for compensation?
Eligible people must meet the four following criteria:
- Either managed or worked (with or without an employment contract) in a Post Office branch that was using or had installed the Horizon system
- Been convicted between 23 September 1996 and 31 December 2018 of offences including false accounting, theft or fraud (including conspiracy to commit these offences)
- Been based in England, Wales or Northern Ireland (Scotland has a separate system)
- Relatives of deceased victims who have sadly died are also able to apply
Further details around eligibility can be found by contacting Freeths at OverTurnedConvictionTeam@freeths.co.uk.