Wrongly-accused Great Staughton postmistress’ compensation delay

A former postmistress wrongly accused of theft has still not received final compensation,18 months after first starting the application process.

Jennifer O’Dell, who ran a post office from her home in Cambridgeshire, has previously said that she felt guilt over her post-traumatic stress disorder after being accused of stealing more than £9,600.

She is among hundreds who were wrongly accused of crimes due to a flaw in a computer system called Horizon.

Mrs O’Dell, 75, said while she has received “little bits of compensation to tide me over”, the final process is so slow she thinks “the Post Office is waiting for us to die”.

Between 1999 and 2015, 700 sub-postmasters and postmistresses – self-employed people who run Post Office branches – were prosecuted by the Post Office for offences such as theft, fraud and false accounting, with some going to prison and many left financially ruined.

Mrs O’Dell ran her Post Office in Great Staughton, near St Neots, from November 2000 until her suspension in January 2010, when she was accused of stealing £9,617.

In 2022, she told the public inquiry into the scandal that it almost caused her to take her own life.

Mrs O’Dell began the process of applying for compensation for loss of earnings at the beginning of last year.

When she applied for the job, she told the Post Office she hoped to work well into her 70s if not longer.

“The Post Office already had quite a bit of the paperwork from my losses,” she said.

“But then I had to have a psychiatric evaluation last year and when it came back there were a few bits that weren’t right so it had to go back.”

Her solicitors has now told Mrs O’Dell they should finally be in a position to put in their application this week.

Mrs O’Dell said: “Sir Wyn Williams – the judge running the public inquiry – did say when it began two years ago he wanted us all to have compensation by 31 August this year.

“People are now saying that isn’t going to happen.”

The Post Office told the BBC it is sorry for the suffering caused to so many people. It added it now works in partnership with postmasters and is committed to transforming today’s Post Office.

Surviving the Post Office – presented by the actor, Will Mellor – will be screened tonight on BBC 1 at 20:30 BST and on iPlayer from midnight.

A five-episode BBC Sounds podcast is also now out.