The oldest surviving victim of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, 92-year-old Betty Brown, has received a long-awaited settlement from a government compensation scheme, allowing her to move forward with her life. Mrs. Brown, who operated a post office in County Durham, was forced to close her business in 2003 after covering alleged shortfalls that did not exist, costing her and her late husband over £50,000 in savings.
Her settlement follows an agreement by campaigner Sir Alan Bates, who led a significant legal action against the Post Office, to a multi-million-pound compensation figure. Mrs. Brown expressed relief at finally receiving recognition for the years of distress caused by the scandal, which resulted in wrongful prosecutions for over 900 sub-postmasters due to incorrect data provided by the Horizon IT system.
As one of the original 555 victims involved in a group legal claim, Mrs. Brown faced various challenges during the compensation process. Initially offered less than a third of her claim, her settlement was eventually adjusted to 95% of her original request after appeals to an independent panel, where she presented her case and relived the trauma associated with the events.
Despite the progress, Mrs. Brown emphasized that the compensation only serves as a redress for what was taken from them, with no additional compensation for their trauma. She continues to advocate for justice for all victims, having become an active campaigner. Recent government figures indicate that, as of the end of September, 385 out of 492 eligible claimants have had their claims fully settled, with over 100 still pending. The overall compensation disbursed across all government schemes stands at £1.2 billion for more than 9,100 victims. Mrs. Brown celebrated her settlement with her community but remains determined to ensure justice for her fellow sub-postmasters.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c74jvd0drvvo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss