A Widow’s Fight for Justice: The Ongoing Post Office Scandal
Janet Walters, the widow of Terry Walters, a victim of the Post Office Horizon scandal, has spoken out about the “utter disgrace” of her family’s ordeal. Terry, who was one of 555 sub-postmasters who won a landmark legal battle against the Post Office in 2019, passed away in February 2023. Just days after his death, Janet received a compensation offer from the government—less than half of what Terry had claimed. For Janet, the timing and amount of the offer were deeply insulting, especially considering the immense suffering her husband endured during his lifetime. “It’s a scandal what they did with the Horizon system, and it’s a scandal now because of the length of time it’s taken for redress,” she told Sky News. Janet has vowed not to accept the offer, insisting that it does not reflect the years of financial and emotional harm her family endured.
The Horizon Scandal: A Decades-Long Injustice
The Horizon scandal began in the late 1990s when the Post Office introduced a new computer system, Horizon, to manage finances in its branches. The system was riddled with bugs, leading to false accounting discrepancies that made it appear as though sub-postmasters were stealing money from their branches. Between 1999 and 2015, hundreds of sub-postmasters were falsely accused, with many wrongly convicted of crimes and losing their livelihoods. Terry Walters was among those affected. His contract with the Post Office was terminated in 2008, resulting in the loss of the family business and their home. For 15 years, Terry and Janet lived in rented accommodation, struggling to rebuild their lives. Despite his legal victory in 2019, Terry never fully recovered from the trauma of the ordeal.
Janet believes the stress and injustice of the situation contributed to her husband’s poor health and eventual death. She described how the government’s redress scheme dragged its feet, adding unnecessary delays to an already painful process. The scheme, established after the High Court ruling, aimed to restore sub-postmasters to the financial position they would have been in if they had not been victims of the Horizon system. Terry’s claim was submitted in February 2022, but it took a full year for an offer to arrive—just after his death. Janet recalled how officials even requested a medical report to determine if Terry’s ill health was linked to the stress of the scandal, further prolonging the process.
A Broken System: Delays and Bureaucracy
The delays in processing compensation claims have become a new chapter in this scandal. Janet is not alone in her frustration; many victims and their families have faced similar challenges. Campaigners, including Lord Beamish, have criticized the government’s handling of the redress scheme, calling it overly bureaucratic and unfair. Lord Beamish, a prominent advocate for justice for Post Office victims, argues that the process should “err on the side of the postmaster rather than the Post Office.” He believes that the 40-working-day target for processing claims is unrealistic and inflexible, stating, “That 40 days shouldn’t be sacrosanct. If you can turn it around in two days or a day, do it.”
Lord Beamish also highlighted the emotional toll the delays have taken on victims. More than 60 sub-postmasters have yet to submit claims because they are “very damaged by this process.” The Horizon scandal has left many with deep psychological scars, making it difficult for them to engage with the system again. Janet Walters echoed these sentiments, saying that the government’s handling of the situation has only added to the pain of losing her husband.
The Government’s Response: Too Little, Too Late?
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has acknowledged the suffering of Terry and his family, expressing sorrow for his passing and offering condolences to Janet. The department also defended its progress on compensation, stating that it has issued offers to 407 of the 425 GLO claimants who submitted full claims. According to the DBT, 89% of eligible claimants have received offers within the 40-working-day target, and over half have settled their claims. However, for many victims and their families, this response rings hollow. Janet Walters described the amount offered as “less than half” of what her husband deserved, and she has joined others in refusing to accept such meager compensation.
The statistics paint a fuller picture of the scale of the problem. Of the 4,665 “late” claims submitted under the Horizon Redress Scheme, only 1,260 have been paid, leaving more than 3,400 victims still waiting. For the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS), which covers eligible claims made before 2020, 2,090 out of 2,417 have been paid, with over 300 still unresolved. These numbers underscore the government’s ongoing failure to provide timely and fair redress to victims of the Horizon scandal.
A Fight for Closure and Justice
The Horizon scandal has been described as one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British history, with victims and their families continuing to fight for closure. Janet Walters’ story is emblematic of the broader struggle. Terry’s death has left her without a husband and without the justice he deserved during his lifetime. However, Janet remains determined to see the government held accountable. “I told them I will not accept [the offer],” she said. “I think it’s an utter disgrace.”
Campaigners like Lord Beamish are also pushing for systemic changes to ensure that victims receive fair treatment. They argue that the redress scheme must prioritize the needs and experiences of sub-postmasters, rather than getting bogged down in bureaucratic delays or unrealistic targets. For Janet, the fight is not just about money—it’s about acknowledgment of the harm done to her family and the countless others affected by the Horizon scandal.
As the government continues to process claims and issue offers, the legacy of the Horizon scandal remains a painful reminder of systemic failure and injustice. For Janet Walters and the thousands of others still waiting for fair redress, the fight for justice is far from over.
