Postmasters wrongfully convicted in Horizon scandal to be offered compensation of £600K each

POSTMASTERS wrongfully convicted in the Horizon scandal are to be offered compensation of £600,000 each.

The Government yesterday announced that the sum will be offered to those who have the verdicts overturned.

More than 700 branch managers were given convictions after faulty accounting software made it look like money was missing from their sites.

So far, 86 have been overturned.

Business minister Kevin Hollinrake said: “The Government has decided postmasters who have their convictions on the basis of Horizon evidence overturned may accept a sum in settlement of their claim.

"The sum will be £600,000. It is not up to £600,000, it is £600,000."

Noel Thomas, 76, of Anglesey, was jailed in 2006 but was later cleared.

He said: “How do you put a price on what I’ve been through?”

Between 1999 and 2015, thousands of sub-postmasters were wrongly accused of fraud and theft due to serious glitches in an online accounting system.

Hundreds were prosecuted and many jailed.

Around £100million has been paid out so far by the Post Office and government to more than 2,000 hit by the scandal.

But   more than 500 are still owed compensation.