Anyone just watched Mr Bates v the Post Office? *GNHQ tweaked the title*

Very true Brahumbug
The more one looks the less democracy there is.
We are ruled by the dictat's of NGO'S.

eazybee

Paula Vennells received her CBE in 2019, the year in which she 'stepped down' from being CEO of The Post Office; she received it for 'services to the Post Office and charity.'

She was pressured into 'stepping back' from her role as priest in Holy Orders in 2021.

Her apology concerning the Post Office prosecutions:
"I am truly sorry that we were unable to find both a solution and a resolution outside of litigation and for the distress this has caused."
A truly dreadful, corrupt woman.

She should be prosecuted for lying in court for claiming that there were no other incidences of post masters having problems with the Horizon system.
This echoes the senior administers in the Lucy Letby case, Amanda Spielman and Alan Derry in Ofsted, the prison authorities for refusing to free Andrew Malkinson for 17 years because he refused to admit to a rape he had not committed, and many more miscarriages of justice.
Those lower down the scale pay the price.

I agree completely.

And when you look at Michelle Mone and her husband's activities re PPE, they're still walking about living the life of Riley. Talk about one law for the rich...

Maggiemaybe

Petition signed.

you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/strip-paula-vennells-of-her-cbe

Signed. Thank you for the link.

This was an almost unbearable watch. IT is an excelent programme and it's shocking the the Post Office still hasn't paid everyone their rightful compensation.

Brahumbug

And next time some halfwit says the ridiculous phrase 'If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear', point them to this scandal 🙄

Well said, Brahumbug, this cannot be pointed out too often...👏

If it hasn't already happened, perhaps it is time that the Post Office right to investigate and prosecute in the criminal court, without a police investigation, should be removed.

I, too, found it almost unbearable to watch, Dinahmo.

What makes it worse is that some died with that false stain on their character and those who survive still really haven't been properly compensated.

So, I wonder, was Mr. Bates' refusal to sign the papers like the others did, in any way less implicating, and less stressful for him personally? He was obviously far more savvy where accounts and record keeping were concerned. He is an interesting character.

And well acted too.

Joseann

So, I wonder, was Mr. Bates' refusal to sign the papers like the others did, in any way less implicating, and less stressful for him personally? He was obviously far more savvy where accounts and record keeping were concerned. He is an interesting character.

They were all guilty of false accounting, weren't they? They signed to say that their accounts were correct, when they weren't because they'd made up the apparent shortfalls themselves. Mr Bates couldn't be guilty of that because he hadn't signed anything. If they didn't bring the police in then presumably they couldn't go for embezzlement instead.

What intrigues me is that surely, at some stage, the there was more money somewhere in the system than the individual post office accounts actually showed, because 100s of Post Masters/Mistresses had put in £1,000s of their own money to make up the apparent shortfalls. I don't know how accounting on a corporate scale works, collating figures from lots of small units, but there must have been some very discrepant figures somewhere along the line.

In addition to any compensation the PO really ought to repay all the money it effectively stole from its victims...

Petition signed. I can’t remember when I last felt so angry watching a tv program. I hope this dramatisation will bring this story back into the headlines again. They deserve justice now, not in another twenty years.

During Paula Vennells time as CEO, 2012 -2019 the Post Office went from losing £120 million a year to making a profit.
This may be why she did not want the accountancy system investigated.

I watched it and found it rivetting viewing. I thought it was extremely well acted. Toby Jones and Julie Hesmandough (sp?) are always good value but the actress who played Jo was also excellent. What a terrible thing. Yes, I also would like to know what happened to the money some of the victims paid up in order to extricate themselves. Why did it never show up in the corporate accounting? It should be refunded immediately. The good old Post Office is not as cuddly as we have been led to believe.

I followed this case, it was disgusting what those people went through. Paula Vennells should be stripped of her CBE, what a kick in the face for her victims. A total disgrace as is the CBE awards now. She should pay her leaving package back too.
Has this country no shame, all an enquiry does is cost a fortune and the outcome, lessons have been learned, that’s a joke, no one any more is accountable. The people responsible should be up in court, made an example of.

Petition signed. I agree Allsorts she should pay back her leaving package too.

Yes, I also would like to know what happened to the money some of the victims paid up in order to extricate themselves. Why did it never show up in the corporate accounting? It should be refunded immediately.

Me too.... I would like to know this.

MaizieD

Joseann

So, I wonder, was Mr. Bates' refusal to sign the papers like the others did, in any way less implicating, and less stressful for him personally? He was obviously far more savvy where accounts and record keeping were concerned. He is an interesting character.

They were all guilty of false accounting, weren't they? They signed to say that their accounts were correct, when they weren't because they'd made up the apparent shortfalls themselves. Mr Bates couldn't be guilty of that because he hadn't signed anything. If they didn't bring the police in then presumably they couldn't go for embezzlement instead.

What intrigues me is that surely, at some stage, the there was more money somewhere in the system than the individual post office accounts actually showed, because 100s of Post Masters/Mistresses had put in £1,000s of their own money to make up the apparent shortfalls. I don't know how accounting on a corporate scale works, collating figures from lots of small units, but there must have been some very discrepant figures somewhere along the line.

In addition to any compensation the PO really ought to repay all the money it effectively stole from its victims...

You would have thought that with a proper audit it would have been possible to see where the mistakes lay.

Joseann

MaizieD

Joseann

So, I wonder, was Mr. Bates' refusal to sign the papers like the others did, in any way less implicating, and less stressful for him personally? He was obviously far more savvy where accounts and record keeping were concerned. He is an interesting character.

They were all guilty of false accounting, weren't they? They signed to say that their accounts were correct, when they weren't because they'd made up the apparent shortfalls themselves. Mr Bates couldn't be guilty of that because he hadn't signed anything. If they didn't bring the police in then presumably they couldn't go for embezzlement instead.

What intrigues me is that surely, at some stage, the there was more money somewhere in the system than the individual post office accounts actually showed, because 100s of Post Masters/Mistresses had put in £1,000s of their own money to make up the apparent shortfalls. I don't know how accounting on a corporate scale works, collating figures from lots of small units, but there must have been some very discrepant figures somewhere along the line.

In addition to any compensation the PO really ought to repay all the money it effectively stole from its victims...

You would have thought that with a proper audit it would have been possible to see where the mistakes lay.

Joseann, you certainly would, wouldnt you, and if the dramatisation is accurate, then it seems that the postmasters and mistresses asking for resolution and agreeing to an audit fully expected that to be the case, too, but in fact the so-called 'audits' seemed to not go any deeper into the issue than the victims themselves had been able too. In other words, the Post Office representatives seemed to be there simply to view the computer-generated figures, and take them at face value.

I have signed the petition

Just signed the petition.

Watching the programme with interest.

Petition signed

Petition signed.

I began listening to 'The Great Post Office Trial' a BBC Radio 4 podcast by Nick Wallis when it was first recorded in 2020. Nick Wallis is an investigative reporter who was involved in bringing this story to public attention. It is very indepth and covers a lot of ground. Very well worth a listen

Where can I watch this please

I’ve been reading a more detailed account of the case on another news outlet and this paragraph stood out:

“To this day, not a single Post Office or Fujitsu employee has been held to account over the scandal, much less faced criminal investigation. And 60 of the victims have died before finding any justice at all.”

Episode 2/4 is on ITV/STV at 9pm tonight Terri and anyone else.

No TV to watch this but I’ve been following this scandal for years, furious that such a blatant injustice could occur in what was once an honourable country.
I could never understand why the PO could not see that, because the problem was widespread, it must have originated with them. Now we know that each victim was told they were “the only one” while the PO concealed and lied and ignored the evidence.