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

Sir Alan's call to Post Office scandal victims

- Jonathan Walker

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

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.