The MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, Keith Brown, has acknowledged the UK Governments recent announcement to award £600,000 in compensation to those wrongly convicted in the Post office Horizon Scandal.

Between 2000 and 2014, The Post Office wrongly prosecuted over 700 branch managers across the UK – an average of one a week. This was based on information from the software in use by The Post Office at the time, known as Horizon. These branch managers were then wrongly convicted due to this faulty accounting software.

The UK Government announced on Monday, September 18th, that Post Office employees who were wrongfully convicted in the Horizon scandal for theft and false accounting will receive compensation payments of £600,000 each from the UK Government.

Commenting, Keith Brown MSP said:

“I’ve been vocal in support of those wrongly convicted in the Post Office Horizon scandal – particularly those in my constituency and across Scotland, who in some cases are still awaiting their wrongful convictions to be overturned. 

“These wrongful convictions have had a massive impact on people’s lives. Living with a criminal record dramatically limits a person’s prospects, and in some cases incorrect prison sentences have already been served, and some of those wrongly convicted have sadly not lived long enough to see their convictions overturned. 

“It is only right that the UK Government takes responsibility for the Post Office Horizon scandal, and this offer of compensation is a start in doing this.“