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

It is shame that the hour long documentary, which didn’t seem to have any advance publicity, of the real people was shown so late last night.

Grammaretto

Yes I get that pov Callistemon but where do you stop and it leads to trial by public opinion/media

Paula can't be the only incompetent fool in the story. There are those shadowy Fujitsu people and probably advisors and politicians too

Yes, I've been saying that.

The enquiry needs to be robust in the proper meaning of the word.

www.postofficehorizoninquiry.org.uk/public-hearings-timeline

Fujitsu have been involved in supplying computer systems for the NHS.

Should we all be afraid?

Yes I get that pov Callistemon but where do you stop and it leads to trial by public opinion/media

Paula can't be the only incompetent fool in the story. There are those shadowy Fujitsu people and probably advisors and politicians too

Callistemon21

^I personally don't like the thought of public humiliation or punishment for the "guilty" parties^

Really? A charge of corporate manslaughter would not be amiss.

The shadowy people at Fujitsu need to be investigated by the police too.

I absolutely agree regarding corporate manslaughter Callistemon and yes the people at Fujitsu absolutely need to be investigated, why haven't they been? massive ramifications in the ability of staff accessing individual accounts. How can they continue to be trusted??

Well done Alan Bates for sticking to his guns

Many people would have given in under that pressure.

He is the one who deserves a CBE.

I personally don't like the thought of public humiliation or punishment for the "guilty" parties

Really? A charge of corporate manslaughter would not be amiss.

The shadowy people at Fujitsu need to be investigated by the police too.

Grammaretto…in some cases perhaps. But in others I have to disagree. Public humiliation is small fry and I believe that is already in place just not wide enough.

Alan Bates for PM?!

I personally don't like the thought of public humiliation or punishment for the "guilty" parties.

I just wish this case wasn't taking so flipping long! It's Dickensian but worse.

I still have episode 4 to watch. Having watched episode 3 last night, it occurred to me the offer made to the woman who had tragically lost her very depressed husband to suicide, was made a compensatory offer from the Post Office which had all the hallmarks of mafia style pressure, "you have till the end of the day to make up your mind" reminded me so much of The Godfather, "we'll make you an offer you can't refuse" Astounding these people who sell their souls to a corporation and shed any vestiges of empathy.

There is a petition demanding that Paula Vennels should be made to hand back her CBE. it really is a joke that somebody can be rewarded for ruining all those lives.

I have followed this story since it broke but these actors are doing a great job highlighting it again. It is truly shocking how they were all told it was just them.

The newspapers today are reporting that Paula Vennels is being pressured to return her CBE. She and the other senior P.O. officials involved should be made to answer for, at the very least, prosecuting 'Jo' , when in fact they had no legal basis to do so, and they must have known that. However much money the victims are finally given, it cannot make up for the ruination of lives.

Not read the whole thread,so may have already been said,but there's a podcast on BBC Sounds called the Great Post Office Trial that I listened to last year and has since been updated that is what first alerted me to how shocking this miscarriage of justice was.One particular 'interview' (interrogation)of a sub postmistress is harrowing. This TV series was so well acted and has hopefully made true compensation and exonerated possible.For those still alive and living with this.

Mr Bates V The Post Office is the best true to life drama for many years.
Well done to those who investigated and produced this excellent exposure of the terrible crimes carried out by those in charge at The Post Office.
They WERE crimes! They were crimes against hunanity to accuse innocent people and not launch an investigation into Horizon.
I truly hope that the likes of Paula Vennells will be brought to justice. How she could go into a church and preach is beyond belief!.
It was not an easy programme to watch to see good peoples lives and futures ruined.
I do hope all those people at least feel some relief that it was all exposed and now brought to the attention of everyone.
Well done Alan Bates for sticking to his guns.

We must also remember that when Horizon was first installed many SPMs would have had little knowledge or experience of computers. This must have made the so called shortfalls bewildering to them. There for the grace of God..

It was so hard to watch. I woke early thinking how those poor people have suffered.
It seems to me that the Post Office was able to employ lawyers to achieve these prosecutions and to fight the victims at the taxpayers’ expense, as they are a government owned company. And any compensation they managed to achieve had their legal costs deducted, leaving them with a pittance. How is it right that the PO could “ afford” lawyers to perpetrate such injustices in order to protect their brand?
Having now been proved wrong, full compensation should be paid to their victims immediately. The PO is prevaricating about calculations, partly because there is insufficient evidence - or they have destroyed the evidence of how much their victims repaid. This is absolutely scandalous as this is a public body. Utterly corrupt.
I know financial compensation will not restore their lives to what they should have been but this mess needs to be settled NOW.

The post office workers would have sued their arses off here as soon as it happened

They could not understand the shortfalls.
Each one was told they were the only one with problems.

A change.org petition:
Your signature will help us put the pressure on government and the relevant ministers so those that have suffered enormously over a 20 year period can get the answers, accountability and justice they rightly deserve and finally move on with their lives
www.change.org/p/biztradegovuk-post-office-scandal-full-compensation-and-accountability

Suing people's arses off costs a great deal of money, nanna8. The post offices workers didn't have any money. They'd used it to make up the 'shortfalls'. Most of them still don't have sufficient money.

I've watched the documentary. I found it every bit as harrowing as the dramatised version. Perhaps even more so as the real victims talked about their experience. Poor Jess...suicide attempts and ECT treatment that has wiped out her memory of her childhood.

I always thought it was good that the UK wasn’t like America and Australia in its speed of seeking legal representation and suing people but I see it can definitely be a negative in cases like this. The post office workers would have sued their arses off here as soon as it happened. At least now, having been made very public, something will no doubt be done. Too late for many, sadly. As for that woman with the CBE, that is just plain rude. Concocted Bullshit Evidence?

Just watched final episode.
Astounded at how these innocent people had to fight against an all powerful organisation.
Yet, I understand how powerful these organisations can be.
I have signed and passed on to others the petition.

Such a powerful and moving drama. I was in tears at the end and will definitely watch the documentary on catch up.

And all the while the fraud was committed by the Post Office under the leadership of the awful woman. The criminally gained money ended up as the post Office’s profit. To be distributed as bonuses no doubt to the perpetrators of the crime

I’ve watched three episodes and am finding it very moving, the cast are fantastic, one of the best things I’ve watched recently.