Lead campaigner Sir Alan Bates has Horizon compensation claim settled

Sir Alan Bates has had his Horizon compensation claim settled for a reported seven-figure sum.

The former subpostmaster previously labelled the redress schemes for victims of the Post Office scandal as “quasi-kangaroo courts”.

Around 1,000 people were wrongly prosecuted and convicted throughout the UK between 1999 and 2015 as a result of Horizon, with a significant number contemplating self-harm.

The long-running battle for justice accelerated dramatically after ITV broadcast the drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which highlighted the scandal.

Sir Alan previously told the Sunday Times the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) “sits in judgment of the claims and alters the goal posts as and when it chooses”.

Sky News reported Sir Alan’s final settlement may have been worth between £4 million and £5 million.

In a statement confirming his claim had been settled, DBT said: “We pay tribute to Sir Alan Bates for his long record of campaigning on behalf of victims and have now paid out over £1.2 billion to more than 9,000 victims.

“We can confirm that Sir Alan’s claim has reached the end of the scheme process and been settled.”