POST OFFICE OFFENCES BILL TO BE EXTENDED TO NORTHERN IRELAND

LONDON, April 22 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:

* Legislation introduced to automatically quash convictions relating to the Horizon scandal to be extended to Northern Ireland. * Affected postmasters across the UK will have the option of accepting a fixed sum offer of 600 pound,000 after their conviction is quashed. * Comes as 190 million pound paid to over 2,800 victims so far.

The Government has today [Monday 22 April] tabled amendments to expand the territorial extent of the Post Office Offences Bill. Convictions resulting from the Post Office Horizon scandal in Northern Ireland will now be within scope.

This blanket exoneration will automatically quash convictions brought about by the scandal, inclu...