'I've got steam coming out my ears': Real Jo Hamilton and actress Monica Dolan on Horizon scandal

On what has been a momentous day for hundreds of former sub postmasters and mistresses, ITV News Presenter Mary Nightingale spoke to former sub post-mistress Jo Hamilton and actress Monica Dolan, who plays her in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office

When Jo Hamilton took over her village shop, she did not think it would lead to her remortgaging her home, being accused of stealing £36,000 and receiving a 13-year criminal conviction.

But 25 years and an ITV Drama later, the reaction to the Horizon scandal has been huge.

The story of Ms Hamilton, a sub-postmaster - someone who runs a retail business that hosts a Post Office, but is not employed by them - at South Warnborough, Hampshire, is told in ITV's Mr Bates vs The Post Office by actress Monica Dolan.

The pair, who told ITV News they have become close friends during the show's creation, shared how the real Ms Hamilton was forced to pay off £60,000 due to the failure of the Horizon computer system, which was used by the Post Office.

It became clear to some sub-postmasters that the software was creating discrepancies in their accounts, making it look like cash was missing. But many didn't realise.

Watch Mary Nightingale's full conversation with Jo Hamilton and actress Monica Dolan

It led the Post Office - which has the power to run private prosecutions - to have 736 sub-postmasters wrongfully convicted of fraud and theft between 1999 and 2015.

Ms Hamilton had not realised her money issues were down to the faulty computer system and wrongly believed she was the problem.

She remortgaged her house, got into huge debt and borrowed money from villagers and friends, according to a Horizon Scandal inquiry. She did not even tell her family about it because she was so ashamed.

Ms Hamilton was accused of stealing £36,000 from her branch and was wrongly convicted of fraud. Years later, her conviction was quashed.

On Wednesday, the government introduced legislation to exonerate all sub-postmasters who were wrongly convicted amid the Post Office Horizon scandal.

But Ms Hamilton said she was livid at today's announcement, as well as the compensation of £75,000 offered to those impacted.

She told ITV News: "I've got steam coming out of my ears. They still ignored the group of 555 that formed the Justice For Sub-posters Alliance, who took on the government about the scandal nine years ago. They still haven't got proper money.

"None of this would have happened without these people. It was 2015 when it started and its 2024 now.

"They (the government) said they'd give everyone £75K. I had £60K taken from me from the Post Office back in 2003, if you add the interest on, that's about £100K .

"They better sort it out, I'm not going to shut up until they pay the group because it's just wicked. "

If you, or someone you know, has been affected by the Post Office IT Scandal - you can get in touch with your story. Email our specialist team - investigations@itv.com .

Dolan doubled down on her real-life counterpart's outrage and was especially upset that it took a TV drama to bring the miscarriage of justice to the forefront of public conversation.

She told ITV News: "It's terrible that it's taken such a long time, there's a fire in my belly and I believe in drama, it should be part of national conversation.

"I think people saw themselves in that position and people have been very upset about it, and that's quite heartening for human nature."

In the show, Dolan depicts Ms Hamilton as a much loved woman, who connected other victims, including the lead character Alan Bates with Kay Linnell, a forensic accountant from her village.

She said she made cakes and created an atmosphere where people felt comfortable opening up to each other.

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