POST Office scandal victim Jo Hamilton has branded a compensation offer to fellow victim Alan Bates as "just wicked" and "cruel".

As previously reported, Jo, a former sub-postmaster from South Warnborough, says she suffered a ‘horrendous ordeal’ when she was forced to beg and borrow money after being accused of stealing £36,000 by the Post Office.

She pleaded guilty in 2008 to false accounting for fear of going to prison. However, her conviction was quashed in 2021 after she was found to be a victim of the Horizon Post Office Scandal, where a faulty accounting system led to more than 700 sub-postmasters being prosecuted.

Their story has been told in a four-part ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which laid bare what has been called the ‘most widespread miscarriage of justice in British legal history’.

READ MORE: Jo Hamilton remains frustrated at the Post Office scandal

Basingstoke Gazette: Jo Hamilton has said she won't stop fighting

After the show aired Jo told the Gazette that although she has received compensation other victims including members of the original Alan Bates group who "fought for justice" have still not been paid.

The news comes as Alan Bates will reject the government’s compensation offer, a figure that he says is only about a sixth of what he requested. The former post office operator has reportedly described the package as “cruel” and “derisory”.

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Reacting to the news, Jo said: "Their first offer is supposed to be their best offer but it really is, as he said, cruel and derisory.  

"They did the same to me and it took a total of over two years to actually get it to anything sensible."

She said the compensation offer to Mr Bates "is just wicked" and said it is not good enough with victims being "derailed for 20 years".

She added: "He can't accept it and he won't accept it."

"I have a little bit left in the bank and my good thing is I was able to keep the house, which a lot of other people didn't. We don't have masses in the bank at the end of it there really isn't much left. I can't look back I have to look forward now", she continued.

A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “We pay tribute to the incredible campaign that Alan has led and his determination to get justice for the thousands of innocent postmasters affected by this scandal. However, the financial compensation scheme has been designed to treat everyone affected fairly and equally.

“If any applicant to the GLO scheme feels that they are owed more than is being offered, we are happy to discuss the evidence with their legal advisors. If we can't agree, decisions will be made by an independent panel that includes legal and accountancy experts, who ensure fair redress based on the evidence. 

“In most cases, we have agreed the amount of compensation for people from whom we have received claims, with 59 people making claims and 44 offers made proving that the majority of claims are being decided quickly. We continue to encourage those 400 GLO members who haven’t made a claim to come forward.”