Horizon scandal: Former Leicestershire sub-postmaster says Post Office 'purposely dragging feet'

  • A former sub-postmaster tells ITV News Central correspondent Phil Brewster she believes the Post Office is purposely dragging its heels, as a new report from MPs says the company is "not fit" to handle compensation schemes for victims of the Horizon scandal.

A former sub-post master, who ran a Post Office in Leicestershire for 25 years, said she believes the company is "purposely dragging its heels" by not paying out compensation.

Julie Beisner's family had ran a Post Office in Leicestershire since around 1847.

She was brought up helping her grandmother behind the counter and learning how to do accounts by hand - she was born and raised to be a sub-postmaster.

Ms Beisner took on the running of the Post Office in North Kilworth in 1996 as sub-postmaster and ran it for nearly 25 years, before retiring in 2021.

During that time, the Post Office demanded she make up alleged shortfalls in her accounts.

Meanwhile, a report released on Thursday 7 March has called for the Post Office to be completely removed from overseeing compensation schemes for victims, like Ms Beisner, of the Horizon scandal.

In April 2021, former post office workers celebrated outside the Royal Courts of Justice after having their convictions overturned. Credit: PA Images

The Business and Trade Committee's report concluded the company is “not fit for purpose to administer any of the schemes of redress required to make amends for one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British history”.

The committee has now demanded an independent body be established to help victims “through every stage of their compensation claims” – describing the current redress process as an “abject failure”.

Ms Beisner told ITV News Central she believes the Post Office is purposely dragging its heels, as "the longer it holds out, the less of us there will be around to pay".

Post Office minister, Kevin Hollinrake MP, told the Commons on Thursday 7 March he agrees that compensation schemes should be brought in house.

He said: "The scheme is already being delivered by the Department of Business and Trade.

"We believe the further compensation that will flow from our overturn of convictions, we'll overturn hundreds of convictions through legislation in this house very shortly as quickly as possible that will provide a flow of hundreds of millions of pounds to those individuals.

"That will be done by the Department of Business and Trade."

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