Sir Alan Bates calls Post Office compensation schemes as ‘Quasi-Kangaroo Courts’

Sir Alan Bates has criticised the Government’s handling of compensation for victims of the Horizon IT scandal, describing the process as resembling “quasi-kangaroo courts.”

The former subpostmaster and justice campaigner said he was recently offered a compensation amount that he claims is less than half of what he initially requested.

Writing in the Sunday Times, the 70-year-old said: “The sub-postmaster compensation schemes have been turned into quasi-kangaroo courts in which the Department for Business and Trade sits in judgement of the claims and alters the goal posts as and when it chooses.

“Claims are, and have been, knocked back on the basis that legally you would not be able to make them, or that the parameters of the scheme do not extend to certain items.”

Between 1999 and 2015, over 900 subpostmasters were wrongly prosecuted due to errors in the Horizon IT system, which falsely suggested financial shortfalls in their accounts.

It is thought that more than 2,000 sub-postmasters are still waiting for compensation related to the Horizon IT scandal. / Credit: PA

Many are still awaiting full compensation, despite the previous government announcing payouts of up to £600,000 for those with overturned convictions.

A specific scheme – the Group Litigation Order (GLO) – was created for the 555 claimants who had sued the Post Office in the High Court from 2017 to 2019.

Under this scheme, claimants can either accept a fixed £75,000 payment or negotiate a bespoke settlement. Disputed claims are reviewed by an independent panel, with a final appeal option to former High Court judge Sir Ross Cranston.

Sir Alan, whose story featured in STV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office, said earlier promises that the compensation process would be “non-legalistic” have proven “worthless.”

He is now calling for an independent body to oversee compensation not only for this case but for future public sector scandals.

Knighted last year for his justice efforts, Sir Alan founded the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance (JFSA).

It’s believed that around 80% of claimants in Sir Alan’s group have either accepted their full settlement or received the majority of it.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade responded: “We deeply respect all those affected by this scandal, including Sir Alan, for his determined advocacy.

Since taking office, we’ve quadrupled total payouts to postmasters. We understand that evidence may be limited due to the passage of time, so we strive to give postmasters the benefit of the doubt.

Those dissatisfied with their offer can request an independent panel review, entirely separate from government influence.”