To draw your attention to Mr Bates vs The Post Office

[5foot5]

There is already a thread about this on the Telly Addicts forum here

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/4970440-mr-bates-vs-the-post-office-mon-to-thur-itv-9pm-tv-pace-no-spoilers

However this seems like such an important subject that I thought I would draw attention to it on AIBU.

The first episode aired tonight but the whole series is available on itvx.

Most of you will no doubt have heard about the Horizon scandal, but whether you have or you haven't this program is compelling. It will probably make you furious but it deserves as wide an audience as possible.,

In a nutshell, @Allofaflutter .

A barrister for the some of the sub-postmasters states in that article: "On the face of it, it discloses a conspiracy by the Post Office to pervert the course of justice."

It’s time for the police to actually do their jobs.

Private Eye is still giving really good updates on this case.

Bbc reporting on government knowledge of Horizon malfunctions from 1999 onwards. Every time I think I can't be more shocked and disgusted up pops something else. -

You took the words out of my mouth - exactly what I thought. Just how low can they stoop?

Crazier and crazier.

I'm just making a record here as this story develops.

PO Chairman Henry Staunton, appointed Dec 2022, claims he was instructed to go slow on compensation to SPMs. Badenoch not only denies this, but makes allegations about Staunton being investigated for bullying (a change of tune from when she sacked him). Staunton produces the notes he emailed to colleagues and himself at the time. The civil servant named in Staunton's contempornotes claims the contents aren't true.

Post Office scandal: Kemi Badenoch hits back at ex-chairman
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68330465

Row deepens between Kemi Badenoch and ex-Post Office chair
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68337728

Sarah Munby: Top civil servant hits out in Post Office compensation row
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68357074

Letter sent by PO chief exec, Nick Read, the day before Sunak announced automatic quashing of Horizon convictions. Staunton claims it was sent at the behest of UKGI; UKGI and Badenoch deny it.

Post Office said last month it stands by most Horizon convictions
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/22/post-office-said-last-month-it-stands-by-most-horizon-convictions

Staunton's evidence to the select committee today has been dramatic. He has claimed that it was Nick Read, the CEO, being investigated, not him. He has alleged that Read had fallen out with his HR director and that a report said Read was going to resign because he was unhappy with his pay, something Read had denied under oath. Evidence earlier in the day was that Read's bonus and that of other executives was 20 times what a subpostmaster earns. Staunton also stuck to his allegation that he was instructed to go slow on compensation.

Information that has emerged elsewhere suggests that the real reason Staunton was sacked is that he was insisting on following the proper process for appointing the Senior Independent Director and it was clear that the candidate preferred by Badenoch (possibly on the advice of her civil servants) would be rejected. There is also evidence that the subpostmasters who have been appointed to the board felt ignored and undermined. One of them wrote in an email, 'The culture that PMs (postmasters) are "guilty" and "on the take" is embedded in this company and whilst we continue to employee 40+ people who ensured innocent people were found guilty and who continue to believe that mantra, this will never change.'

Also today, Read denied referring to Post Office investigators as "untouchables" despite the fact that there now appear to be multiple sources for this.

Still playing pass the parcel with blame, aren't they?

Feels more like pinball! With multiple blame-balls simultaneously!

I’m not convinced anyone will ultimately go to prison for this . Or even personally pay anything.
The very people who knowingly watched people being handcuffed and sent to prison.

I think this will go on and there will be some sort of settlement. But it’s not real justice for the victims is it ?

Tey're all a bunch of lying, cheating bastards, and many of these people govern over us.

It appears there is no one of integrity who has the balls to stand up for the victims and rectify this injustice.

Peple passing the blame or not having the courage to help, just a load of bleeting sheep.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68663750

A draft report uncovered by the BBC shows the Post Office spent £100m fighting sub-postmasters in court despite knowing its defence was untrue.

The document reveals the Post Office was shown evidence by 2017 that losses could be due to errors in the Horizon IT system or remote tampering.

But it kept arguing in the Bates v Post Office Ltd case that theft or mistakes by sub-postmasters must be to blame.

Former sub-postmasters and politicians have called for the Post Office to face a police investigation after BBC News revealed the company knew of flaws in its Horizon IT system.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68691257

I really think it's time the Solicitors' Regulation Agency got off its arse and started looking at what the hell the lawyers were doing. They have an overriding duty to the court to make full disclosure, yet they seem to have closed their eyes to the Deloitte's report and pretended to the courts that it didn't exist.

Every time I think I've heard the worst about this corrupt and deceitful organisation, along comes something worse. So much blatantly illegal activity covered up and lied about. The number of ruined lives! I haven't got adequate words.

How many are there that didn't fight against it and just kept their heads down until they were ruined financially and mentally? I still don't get the whole cover up, just why?

The Inquiry will reconvene on 9th April (link for anyone new to thread https://www.postofficehorizoninquiry.org.uk/hearings )

My God, the deeper you dig into this scandal, the uglier and dirtier it gets.

From my understanding (as an unconnected layperson) PO and Fujitsu did what they wanted, and protected their own arses. To the absolute detriment of the postmasters.

There will be people who have had nearly 30 years of this injustice ruining their lives whilst those who knew and said nothing led a charmed life, I wonder if any of them have any kind of concience.

Justice should be served, it is time, and I bet there will still be lies being uncovered in 10/20 years time about the coruptness of this scandal., it should be left open for further revelations.

But it was obvious that it would all come out at some point. Same as all the hospital and every other cover up. They come out and cost far much more in compensation and reputation. It's utterly pointless.

That wouldn't mean too much to you if it was your reputation under a cloud for god knows how long though. 'Eventually' really isn't worth much at all that way .

I have the same thoughts too.

Just when you think it couldn't possibly get worse, it does!!!

I couldn't do that to another person, I have something in me that tells me it would be a horrific and unjustifiable thing to do. So called reputation doesn't come into it.