Former Sub-Postmaster Confirms Receipt of Full Compensation

An individual who previously served as a sub-postmaster, having been incarcerated following an erroneous conviction for false accounting, has confirmed the receipt of his complete and final compensation payment. Over 900 individuals faced prosecution due to account discrepancies identified by the defective Horizon software. Noel Thomas, a resident of Gaerwen, Anglesey, was imprisoned for a period of nine months in 2006 after his accounts showed a deficit of £48,000; however, he subsequently succeeded in appealing his conviction. The 77-year-old, who had previously obtained interim compensation, chose not to disclose the specific amount he received. Nevertheless, in September of the preceding year, the government had indicated that victims of the scandal would be presented with an offer of £600,000. He characterized the procedure for obtaining the funds as “totally hideous”. He questioned, “Why has it taken so long?” and then stated, “Because we have been in denial for years.” An inquiry into the Post Office is currently underway, and it is hoped that its chairman, Sir Wyn Williams, will deliver a favorable outcome for their group. Mr. Thomas indicated his intention to advocate for the compensation of other former sub-postmasters. He remarked, “It has been very difficult for them. I am on the phone with about half a dozen of them who I have become very good friends with.” According to him, they had lost “everything”. He commented, “Having worked for the Post Office, like I have for 42 years, you did not expect something like this.” Mr. Thomas expressed his complete support for Sir Alan Bates’ deadline of March 2025 for the resolution of compensation claims. Sir Alan, who resides in Llandudno, Conwy county, established the Justice for Sub-postmasters Alliance (JSFA) in 2009 with the aim of assisting individuals impacted by Horizon. The UK government stated that it has been implementing measures under the Horizon convictions redress scheme since July and has introduced an appeals process, enabling postmasters to have their settlements subjected to independent review. The government affirmed that it is expediting claim settlements at an unprecedented rate, having disbursed approximately £499 million to over 3,300 claimants, and the total amount of redress claimed has more than doubled since the close of June. A spokesman urged, “We encourage the 158 people who have not yet sent us complete claims to come forward as soon as possible to can claim back what they are owed.” The Post Office conveyed its “unreserved” apology to the victims of Horizon. It further stated that it is making every effort “to transform the organisation and support those impacted to find closure.”