The compensation for a Post Office worker caught up in the Horizon IT scandal arrived a week after he died – ‘I think it’s an utter disgrace,’ his furious wife said
A Post Office worker caught up in the Horizon IT scandal was finally offered compensation a week after his death.
The letter addressed to Terry Walters, who died aged 74 in February, proposed payment of less than half of his original claim. His widow Janet, 68, said: “I have told them I will not accept – I think it’s an utter disgrace.” Terry, whose funeral took place yesterday, was one of 555 sub-postmasters who won a legal battle against the Post Office in 2019.
He was part of the landmark case led by Sir Alan Bates which helped expose the scandal. Hundreds were accused, and many wrongly convicted, of stealing between 1999 and 2015 due to the faulty the Horizon computer system.
Janet said: “It’s a scandal what they did with Horizon, it’s a scandal now because of the length of time it’s taken.”
Terry was part of the Group Litigation Order Scheme established after the 2019 High Court win. He took over Hockley Post Office in Stockport, Greater Manchester in 2005, but had his contract terminated in 2008.
He and Janet lost their home and lived in rented accommodation for 15 years. She said Terry’s claim was put forward in February 2024 and that he should have had an offer in 40 days.
She added: “They wanted a stroke report to see if it was caused by stress from the Post Office. I think it contributed to the state of him.”
The Department of Business and Trade said it had doubled redress payments under the current government and was making offers to 89% of GLO claimants within 40 days.
In the wake of the scandal, views are being sought on plans to overhaul private prosecutions to stop similar “catastrophic failures”. Private prosecutions allow people or state-run agencies that are not a prosecuting authority, such as the Crown Prosecution Service, to take cases to court.
Thousands of people have been convicted for legitimate mistakes such as unpaid bills or buying the wrong train ticket, the Ministry of Justice said. The Government is planning changes that will bring tougher controls on private prosecutors, such as through inspections, introducing an accreditation scheme and mandatory code of practice for private prosecutors.
Bodies such as TV Licensing, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and private train companies are among those that would face more regulation under the plans. The shake-up will also look at how the single justice procedure (SJP) can be improved to make sure all cases are in the public interest.