Post Office scandal had 'disastrous' impact on victims, report says
This first volume of Sir Wyn's report focuses on the human impact of the scandal, as well as issues around compensation.Victims had divorced, suffered serious mental health issues and alcohol addiction as a result of their ordeals, the inquiry found."A number of persons said they could not sleep at night without drinking first. One postmistress said she 'went to rehab for eight months as the Post Office had turned her to drink to cope with the losses,'" Sir Wyn wrote.
The report makes a series of urgent recommendations, including:free legal advice for claimantscompensation payments for close family members of those affecteda programme of restorative justice with Fujitsu, the Post Office and the government meeting individual victims directlySir Wyn also criticised the "formidable difficulties" around the delivery of financial redress for victims, which is currently organised around four different schemes.Discussing one scheme, for those who experienced unexplained shortfalls related to Horizon but were not convicted, Sir Wyn says: "I am persuaded that in difficult and substantial claims, on too many occasions, the Post Office and its advisors have adopted an unnecessarily adversarial attitude towards making initial offers."According to the report, 10,000 eligible people are currently claiming redress, and Sir Wyn expects that number to rise by "at least hundreds" over the coming months.He called on the government to publicly define what is meant by "full and fair financial redress" and recommended changes to some of the schemes.While Sir Wyn will look at how the scandal happened and who was responsible in a later report, in this first part, he said that he was satisfied that some employees of the Post Office and Fujitsu were aware, or should have been aware, that the Horizon software had "bugs, errors and defects" which could affect branch accounts.Sir Wyn has asked the government to respond to his findings no later than October 2025.
The government said that some members of Horizon victim's families will be eligible for compensation.Post Office minister Gareth Thomas said the scheme would be open "to close family members of existing Horizon claimants who themselves suffered personal injury – including psychological distress – because of their relative's suffering".But he added that the government would need written evidence of that injury made at the time "other than in exceptional circumstances".He said devising such a scheme "raises some very difficult issues"."Nonetheless, we want to look after those family members who suffered most," he said.
A Post Office spokesperson said: "The Inquiry has brought to life the devastating stories of those impacted by the Horizon Scandal. Their experiences represent a shameful period in our history. "Today, we apologise unreservedly for the suffering which Post Office caused to postmasters and their loved ones. We will carefully consider the report and its recommendations."
The report also gave details of the some of the legal costs of the various compensation schemes so far.Newly published government figures show the total legal costs paid for the "operational delivery of Horizon redress schemes" have risen to £100m.For their work on the Horizon Shortfall Scheme up to 2 December 2024, law firm Herbert Smith Freehills were paid £67m by the Post Office.
Post Office campaigner and former sub-postmaster Jo Hamilton said it was "just mad" that the government is "spending millions on lawyers to pull the claims apart" that they have paid for to be brought.She said the report out on Tuesday was "huge" because it laid bare the scale of the suffering.The investigations into who is culpable for that suffering will be "interesting", she adds.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
13 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Macron blames Starmer for migrant crisis
Emmanuel Macron is demanding that Sir Keir Starmer make Britain less appealing to Channel migrants to secure a ' one in, one out deal '. The French president believes the UK bears the blame for record numbers of small boats crossing the Channel and has three key demands to reduce its 'pull factors'. Mr Macron, who arrived in Britain on Tuesday for the first state visit by a European head of state since Brexit, was due to announce the new agreement with the Prime Minister at an Anglo-French summit on Thursday. A deal with Paris would allow Britain to legally return illegal Channel migrants to France for the first time since Brexit. But Sir Keir is scrambling to rescue the pact after five EU member states bearing the brunt of European arrivals raised concerns that a deal would see them forced to take more migrants. The Telegraph understands that Mr Macron wants Sir Keir to crack down on the UK's black market for labour and welfare payments and make family reunification for genuine asylum seekers easier as conditions for the deal. An Elysée source warned that Mr Macron expected measures 'addressing the root causes of the factors that attract people to the United Kingdom', adding: 'These causes must also be addressed by the British.' They added that France would be willing to discuss ways to stop more small boats leaving its shores during the Anglo-French summit on Thursday. Mr Macron's allies have said the ease in which migrants can get under-the-table employment means Britain is viewed as 'an El Dorado' – a city of riches, where it is easy to work. The demands emerged as Mr Macron enjoyed a day rich with pomp and pageantry during a visit celebrating what the Elysée called a 'pragmatic rapprochement'. After being greeted at RAF Northolt by the Prince and Princess of Wales and treated to a royal procession, he addressed Parliament before the King hosted a state banquet in his honour in Windsor Castle on Tuesday evening. Starmer must address 'pull factors' In Westminster in the afternoon, Mr Macron went public with his concerns, telling an audience including Sir Keir that the British Government would have to address 'pull factors' to drive down migrant numbers. Channel crossings have hit a record high this year with 20,600 migrants so far, the highest since the first arrivals in 2018. Mr Macron said that a third of migrants entering the EU's Schengen area illegally were aiming for the UK as their final destination. He said: 'France and the United Kingdom have a shared responsibility to address irregular migration with humanity, solidarity and fairness.' The president added: 'We will only arrive at a lasting and effective solution with action at the European level [...] as well as addressing migration pull factors. 'But let's be clear we will deliver together, as this is a clear issue for our countries.' He also warned that French and British societies risk 'growing apart' and that Brexit was a 'regrettable' decision, although he said he respected it. Mr Macron is making three demands to Sir Keir to get their 'one in, one out' deal over the line in time for Thursday. The French president wants to make it harder for illegal immigrants to work in Britain. While asylum seekers are not allowed to work legally, the French view is there are not enough controls to prevent them from doing so. The gig economy and delivery drivers are seen as areas that can be easily exploited, and Britain does not have European-style ID cards. Mr Macron also sees benefits for migrants successfully granted asylum as another pull factor attracting migrants to Britain and another root cause that should be addressed. Legal routes for genuine asylum seekers His third demand centres on the number of small boat migrants trying to reach their families who are already in the UK. Mr Macron wants Britain to accept one genuine asylum seeker from France who wants to rejoin a family member in Britain for each illegal migrant France takes back. It is thought migrants will be less incentivised to make the dangerous crossing if they have a legal route into Britain. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has already prioritised a crackdown on illegal foreign workers and a blitz on delivery drivers, announced last week, in an attempt to counter criticism of the UK as a 'soft touch'. Raids on companies suspected of employing illegal workers passed 10,000 in the past year, a 48 per cent rise and fines for doing so have tripled to £60,000. In May, a Telegraph investigation revealed that asylum seekers housed in Home Office hotels are paying off people smuggler debts by illegally working as food delivery riders. Meanwhile, a new law will make it a legal requirement for all companies, including the gig economy, to check workers are legal. Plans are being drawn up to throw small boats migrants working illegally out of taxpayer-funded hotels and widen European-style digital IDs for overseas citizens. The King addressed the small boats crisis on Tuesday night at the state banquet, saying: 'Our security services and police will go further still to protect us against the profound challenges of terrorism, organised crime, cyber-attacks and irregular migration across the English Channel.' He added that there are no borders between Britain and France in the nations' joint quest to solve 'complex threats'. Earlier in the day, the King was seen deep in conversation with the French leader, with whom he shares a good relationship, during a carriage ride through Windsor. The King also kissed the hand of Brigitte Macron, the president's wife. More than 950 servicemen and women from all three armed services, and 70 horses, took part in the ceremonial welcome, from troops lining the carriage procession route to a guard of honour featuring guardsmen from two of the British Army's oldest regiments the Grenadier Guards and Scots Guards. Later in the evening, the state dinner at Windsor Castle saw the Princess of Wales attend her first evening banquet since November 2023, before her cancer diagnosis. She and Mr Macron were among guests who enjoyed a Franco-British menu created by Raymond Blanc at which the King raised a toast to the French in a speech peppered with jokes. Speaking partly in French, the King said: 'The summit that you and the Prime Minister will hold in London this week will deepen our alliance and broaden our partnership still further.' Addressing the French president as well as Sir Mick Jagger and Sir Elton John, he joked: 'We would not be neighbours if we did not have our differences' with 'amicable competition and occasionally even, dare I say, confusion' across cultures.
Telegraph
13 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Train strike over ‘sleeping driver' to continue beyond Christmas
Train drivers who have been striking in support of a sacked colleague who fell asleep at the controls may continue until next year. Strikers at Hull Trains have been walking out for the past six months to demand the reinstatement of a colleague who nodded off while at the controls of a 125mph service. Union representatives have since claimed there is 'no evidence' of this happening, although a letter sent to Hull Trains staff by its bosses said the driver had experienced 'fatigue matters' more than once. Unions involved in long-running disputes must by law reballot their members every six months to see if they want to continue walking out. 'This is a moral issue' Mick Whelan, the general secretary of Aslef, said the union would 'keep going' until the driver was reinstated. Mr Whelan said that Hull Trains had 'behaved deplorably', adding: 'The company's failure to act responsibly has enormous implications not just for rail workers and passengers at Hull Trains but for staff and passengers right across the wider rail network. 'This is a moral issue because we have a culture on the railway designed to keep everyone safe. 'Anyone who works on the railway should be able to report a safety concern without fearing they will be penalised, punished or lose their livelihood.'
The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
Gregg Wallace treated for ‘heart attack' after misconduct probe stress as BBC reveals 50 new claims against sacked host
AXED MasterChef host Gregg Wallace last night declared war on the BBC, raging: 'I will not go quietly. I will not be cancelled for convenience.' The 60-year-old star's outburst came as the Beeb announced he had been sacked following an inquiry into alleged misconduct. 7 7 7 And the corporation turned up the heat by saying another 50 people had made claims about his behaviour across several shows. They included new allegations he groped a MasterChef worker and pulled his trousers down in front of another. Wallace, who left the hit cooking show in November and danced on 2014's Strictly, denies the claims. Sources said he was considering suing the BBC. And we can reveal that on Sunday he was rushed to hospital in Ashford, Kent, with a suspected heart attack after two days of agonising chest pains. He told a pal: 'The stress of this betrayal brought on my suspected heart attack. It's been hell.' The report into Wallace's behaviour, ordered by production firm Banijay and conducted by external lawyers Lewis Silkin, is officially due out tomorrow. But yesterday, two days after leaving hospital, Wallace was told his contract will be terminated. He posted online: 'After 21 years of loyal service to the BBC, I cannot sit in silence while my reputation is further damaged to protect others.' He pointed out he had been exonerated of the most serious allegations in the Silkin report, including a separate claim of groping. Gregg Wallace admits 'I'm f****d' & tells pals he fears MasterChef will sack him after 'grope' probe And he said: 'I recognise that some of my humour and language, at times, was inappropriate. 'For that, I apologise without reservation. But I was never the caricature now being sold for clicks.' The stress of this betrayal brought on my suspected heart attack. It's been hell Gregg Wallace Wallace — who has never been publicly backed by co-host of 20 years John Torode — is now poised to take Banijay or the BBC to tribunal. He has taken on 'rottweiler' lawyer Dan Morrison, who represented Nigel Farage in the NatWest/Coutts bank account closure scandal. In a further blow to the Beeb, Wallace's lawyers could push for the release of the report's executive summary, which might jeopardise senior MasterChef execs and talent. An insider said: 'This is war. Gregg is raging and, frankly, has nothing left to lose. He feels he has been hung out to dry. He was employed to play the fun, unfiltered cheeky chappy greengrocer and he played that role as he always pledged to do. 'He feels there's been a cover-up and other people's bad behaviour ignored. 'Gregg will not go quietly — it is an absolute nightmare for the BBC.' The star's mum died from a heart attack in March. In April he revealed he had considered suicide. 7 7 In his statement yesterday he also claimed the BBC had failed to help him over neurodiversity, since formally diagnosed as autism. He said: 'Nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over 20 years. That failure is now being quietly buried.' A source added: 'Gregg has been struggling with his mental health and was rushed to hospital over the weekend. Doctors have blamed stress, and he came out only to find out almost immediately he will lose his livelihood. 'He is furious and devastated and, after much deliberation, is taking on an incredibly bullish legal team to fight his corner. Gregg has seen the report and believes he is cleared of the most serious wrongdoing allegations, so has taken great consolation from that.' Banijay's probe began nine months ago after BBC News revealed he faced 13 complaints from women, which later rose to 30. Wallace was then vilified for saying they stemmed from 'middle-class women of a certain age'. HOST DEMANDS BBC ANSWERS EX-TELLY host Gregg Wallace issued a statement online yesterday. Here are key extracts. "After 21 years of loyal service to the BBC, I cannot sit in silence while my reputation is further damaged to protect others. I have now been cleared by the Silkins report of the most serious and sensational accusations made against me. I recognise that some of my humour and language, at times, was inappropriate. For that, I apologise without reservation. But I was never the caricature now being sold for clicks. I was hired by the BBC and MasterChef as the cheeky greengrocer. A real person with warmth, character, rough edges and all. For over two decades, that authenticity was part of the brand. Now, in a sanitised world, that same personality is seen as a problem. My neurodiversity, now formally diagnosed as autism, was suspected and discussed by colleagues across countless seasons of Master Chef. Yet nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over 20 years. That failure is now being quietly buried. Unfortunately, the full report will never be seen. I would like to know why? I will not go quietly. I will not be cancelled for convenience." It is understood he has now been cleared of bullying allegations brought by 2021 contestant Penny Lancaster. Broadcaster and 2011 series star Kirsty Wark's evidence was discredited after investigators were told she had been 'dining out' on telling stories about Wallace, including at the Edinburgh Festival last year. The claims of Wallace's constant innuendos, which left crew in tears, by 2011 contestant Jackie Kearney have also been thrown out, it is understood. In two categories — 'demeaning' nicknames for staff and Wallace being 'direct' with contestants — investigators said his actions were unintentional. Gregg has been struggling with his mental health and was rushed to hospital over the weekend. Doctors have blamed stress A source It is understood his autism diagnosis has been used to explain some behaviour. Other allegations were upheld. They included that he opened his dressing room door with a sock over his privates and shouted 'Hooray.' He was also found against in terms of inappropriate language and repetition of sexualised jokes. The BBC is under enormous pressure to save money, and is unlikely to offer Wallace any payout or redundancy package. He may get a six-figure payout from a tribunal in his favour. 7 7 Gregg Wallace - MasterChef scandal in Brief GREGG Wallace has stepped down from his MasterChef hosting role after a probe into alleged inappropriate behaviour. But what's the situation? Regular MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is currently the subject of a probe after an investigation was launched into his alleged misconduct over a number of years. Gregg has been accused of making sexual remarks to 13 colleagues including Beeb anchor Kirsty Wark - accusations he denies. The 60-year-old has now stepped away from the BBC show while historical misconduct allegations against him are investigated. Yet the former greengrocer spoke out on social media to blast the "women of a certain age" who he claimed were behind the allegations. The cooking show's production company, Banijay UK, has said law firm Lewis Silkin would lead the investigation into Wallace's alleged misconduct.
