'New legal action may be fastest way to get payouts'

SIR Alan Bates has urged victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal to take the Government to court over delays in paying out compensation.

- By Jonathan Walker Whitehall Editor

Former sub-postmaster Sir Alan, a leading campaigner for those wrongfully prosecuted for theft, said a judicial review would “probably be the quickest way to ensure fairness for all”.

He was backed by Liam Byrne, Labour chair of the Commons Business Committee, who said: “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts.