Speaking at the Business and Trade Select Committee in Westminster on January 16, former South Warnborough sub-postmaster Jo answered questions from MPs about the personal impact of the Post Office Horizon scandal, alongside former North East Hampshire MP Lord James Arbuthnot.
1 Jo Hamilton
Jo Hamilton is a notable figure in the Post Office Horizon scandal, which has been described as one of the largest miscarriages of justice in the UK. Hamilton, a former sub-postmistress from South Warnborough, Hampshire, was wrongfully accused of stealing £36,000 due to faults in the Horizon IT system used by the Post Office. The system’s errors led to false accounting and theft charges against hundreds of sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses, including Hamilton.
Despite her innocence, Hamilton felt coerced into pleading guilty to false accounting in 2008 to avoid prison. This plea was influenced by the immense pressure and lack of support she faced, including the threat of a more severe charge of theft. To cover the alleged shortfalls, she had to remortgage her home, borrow money from friends and family, and endure severe financial hardship. The local community even held a whip-round to help her pay the demanded amounts (Haslemere Herald) (Woman and Home Magazine).
Hamilton’s conviction was eventually quashed in 2021 after it was revealed that the Horizon system was indeed flawed, exonerating her and many others. Since then, she has been a vocal advocate for justice and compensation for all affected sub-postmasters. Hamilton’s fight continues, as many victims have yet to receive adequate compensation or acknowledgment of the full extent of their suffering (Haslemere Herald) (Woman and Home Magazine).
Hamilton’s story was prominently featured in the ITV drama “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office,” which brought wider public attention to the scandal. She remains actively involved in efforts to secure full compensation for the victims and to highlight the ongoing impact of the scandal on their lives (Woman and Home Magazine).
2 Lord James Arbuthnot
Lord James Arbuthnot, the former MP for North East Hampshire, played a crucial role in advocating for justice in the Post Office Horizon scandal, particularly in supporting his constituent, Jo Hamilton. Hamilton, a sub-postmistress falsely accused of theft due to flaws in the Horizon IT system, sought Arbuthnot’s help in 2009. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Arbuthnot raised her case and those of others with then-Business Secretary Peter Mandelson, highlighting the severe financial and personal hardships they faced due to the erroneous accusations.
Arbuthnot persistently pressed the government and the Post Office for accountability. Despite initial government dismissals, which claimed no responsibility and assured that the Horizon system had been thoroughly investigated, Arbuthnot continued to push for a thorough review. His efforts were instrumental in bringing wider attention to the scandal and in the eventual overturning of wrongful convictions, including Hamilton’s (Hansard Society) (Evening Standard).
In the years following, Arbuthnot remained a key figure in the campaign for justice. He served on the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board, working to ensure that affected sub-postmasters received proper compensation and that the full extent of the miscarriage of justice was acknowledged and addressed (Evening Standard).
3 The small village of only 600 inhabitants
The small village of South Warnborough played a significant role in supporting Jo Hamilton during her ordeal with the Post Office Horizon scandal. When Hamilton, the local sub-postmistress, was wrongfully accused of theft due to the faulty Horizon IT system, the village community rallied around her, demonstrating remarkable solidarity and support.
Hamilton faced immense financial pressure, having to remortgage her house and borrow money to cover the alleged shortfalls caused by the IT system errors. The villagers, understanding her innocence and the unfairness of her situation, organized a whip-round to help her pay the demanded amounts (Haslemere Herald) (Woman and Home Magazine). This act of community support was crucial in providing Hamilton with some financial relief and moral support during her challenging times.
Additionally, the local community’s backing was not just financial but also emotional. The villagers’ belief in Hamilton’s integrity and their collective efforts to support her underscored the strong community bonds in South Warnborough. Their support was a testament to the close-knit nature of the village and their willingness to stand by one of their own in the face of injustice (Woman and Home Magazine).
4 The vicar
During Jo Hamilton’s court appearance related to the Post Office Horizon scandal, her local vicar played a significant role by providing moral support and even speaking on her behalf. The vicar’s involvement was an important element of the community’s solidarity with Hamilton. On the day of the court proceedings, the vicar accompanied Hamilton to court and delivered a heartfelt speech before the judge. This speech emphasized Hamilton’s integrity, the unjust nature of the accusations against her, and the strong support she had from her local community in South Warnborough.
The vicar’s speech and presence underscored the collective belief in Hamilton’s innocence and highlighted the communal bonds that helped sustain her through her legal ordeal. This act of support was a testament to the strength and unity of the small village, reflecting their unwavering belief in Hamilton’s character despite the severe accusations she faced (Yahoo News UK) (The Mirror)
5 The podcasts
18 okt 2023
For the past twenty years, the UK has been grappling with the aftermath of the notorious “Post Office scandal,” which has affected countless innocent individuals. In 2000, the Horizon IT system was introduced to modernise the Post Office network, but its rollout led to a barrage of wrongful convictions for fraud, theft, and false accounting. Despite technological advancements in digital payments and optimised accounting, the system frequently flagged accounting discrepancies due to bugs and errors, resulting in harsh punitive measures taken against subpostmasters and staff. Consequently, thousands of innocent people lost their jobs, homes, and freedom.
The Post Office and its lawyers attempted to cover up the scandal by withholding crucial information about Horizon in court cases, leaving many of the victims without justice or compensation.
YouTube video and social media content created by the Scribul marketing agency: https://www.scribul.com
Timecodes
00:00 – Intro
02:27 – Life before the post office scandal
06:04 – When did you take over the post office
06:33 – What was Horizon designed to do
07:16 – What were you accused of
09:57 – How did you end up owing £36,000
15:29 – How did you cover the deficit
17:52 – Why didn’t she tell her family
19:09 – The hidden truth
20:08 – Facing criminal proceedings
24:06 – Getting prosecuted
27:12 – Pleading guilty of false accounting
29:41 – Multiple victims & village support
33:35 – Creating a victims group
36:53 – Life after being prosecuted
40:27 – Finding out that Horizon was the issue
43:04 – How was your conviction overturned
47:09 – Other people being convicted
50:52 – Dealing with being wrongfully accused
53:50 – Do you accuse anybody
57:15 – Outro18 okt 2023
Why would you do that (in the part Dealing with being wrongfully accused)
Former Sub-postmistress Jo Hamilton: Giving Evidence Against The Post Office | Good Morning Britain
16 jan 2024
Today bosses from the Post Office and Fujitsu will face questions about what they knew about the Horizon IT scandal. Giving evidence in front of MPs today is Former Sub-postmistress Jo Hamilton.
Jo endured a tragic story amid the Horizon Post Office scandal which led to her remortgaging her house twice & accumulating significant debt. In 2009, she met Alan Bates, and together, they fought for justice.
GMB is also joined by journalist Rebecca Thomson who reported on the Horizon Post Office scandal in 2009.
Broadcast on 16/01/24
Jo Hamilton (Former Post Office Sub-Postmistress) Interviewed Live On BBC Breakfast [11.01.2024]
Mr Bates Vs the Post Office: Star Monica Dolan & the Real-Life Jo Hamilton Tell All | This Morning
9 jan 2024
It’s the scandal still dominating the headlines after the new ITV Drama ‘Mr. Bates vs the Post Office’ has shone a light on the terrible miscarriage of justice in which dozens of innocent sub-postmasters were wrongfully convicted and lost everything. Today, we’re joined by one of the real people whose shocking story was told in the drama – Jo Hamilton, alongside the star who played her Monica Dolan.
Broadcast on 09/01/2024
EX-Post Office Boss Paula Vennells Faces the Horizon IT Inquiry
Back to menu Important content
22 mei 2024
Ex-Post Office boss Paula Vennells will appear at the Post Office Inquiry today. Last month the inquiry heard how Vennells ignored calls from the organisation’s top management team to halt sub-postmaster prosecutions.
Former postmistress Jo Hamilton will be attending the inquiry, speaking on Paula Vennells’ appearance at the inquiry, Jo said: ‘If there are going to be criminal charges put to her, she may as well tell the truth but I don’t think she will when you have a CEO cloak on you can be as brave as you like, but without that, I don’t see her being brave and truthful at all.’
Broadcast on 22/05/24
At minute 10: incompetence
Jo Hamilton ‘Continues to Fight’ as Post Office Scandal Inquiry Resumes
Back to menu IMPORTANT CONTENT Listening recommended Must ***
9 apr 2024
Justice campaigner and former Sub-postmaster Alan Bates takes the stand for the penultimate phase of the Horizon IT inquiry. Hundreds of sub-postmasters had their lives ruined by allegations of theft and false accounts by the Post Office, including Jo Hamilton, who was also depicted in the ITV drama ‘Mr Bates Vs The Post Office’
Jo joins us today to update us on her fight for justice and compensation, and reveals that she has reached the end of her ‘financial journey’ after settling in January. She says Alan Bates will ‘get a chance to actually tell some things that he hasn’t been able to before’ when he speaks in the public inquiry for the first time today.
Broadcast on 09/04/24
Educational
Just For Laughs: Gags – Unbreakable Cell Phone Case
