Post Office scandal hero Alan Bates calls for – ‘why is there nonetheless no justice’

Post Office employees wrongly accused within the IT scandal are nonetheless ready for payouts, 4 years after profitable their case.

Many worry they are going to die earlier than getting the money for having their lives devastated over 20 years. One, Alan Bates, performed by Toby Jones in a TV drama on the case, pleaded: “Get moving with it.” Victims nonetheless ready for payouts within the Post Office IT scandal worry they might by no means see the money they deserve for having their lives ruined by false claims. And they accused the ­Government of dragging its heels over the compensation, 24 years after their wrongful convictions for stealing.

One, Alan Bates, demanded the money is handed over earlier than extra folks die of outdated age, after greater than 60 folks have already handed away with out getting a penny. He stated: “Get moving with the compensation. Don’t extend the deadline for payments because you can’t extend people’s lives.” The former sub-postmaster, who’s performed by Toby Jones in new ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, has campaigned for 20 years to show the reality concerning the IT system glitches that devastated 3,500 workers.

More than 230 sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses have been jailed after 700 had been prosecuted for theft, fraud and false accounting and 4 killed ­themselves. They have been blamed for errors by the faulty Horizon laptop system. In 2019, Alan and 5 different workers took the Post Office to the High Court the place a choose dominated the IT was at fault within the UK’s worst ­miscarriages of justice.

But many are nonetheless ready for payouts. Alan, who gained a Daily Mirror Pride of Britain award final yr for his marketing campaign, added: “They haven’t even received offers yet. “It’s madness. It’s held up in the system and I know government say it’s the lawyers who are holding it up, but it’s not the claimants’ lawyers, it’s government lawyers. It’s money they are owed. Some have been waiting over 20 years and suffering for far too long.”

Former postmistress Jo Hamilton, who was convicted of false accounting and needed to promote her store to pay what she owed, stated: “Everyone’s dying and they’re still not paying people. They have to get their finger out. Just give them their bloody money back.” Ex sub-postmaster Noel Thomas was jailed for 9 months in 2006.

His daughter needed to promote her dwelling to pay his authorized prices. Noel claimed authorities legal professionals are utilizing “delaying tactics” to cease victims getting compensation. He added: “They send everything back asking for proof, but how can you get the evidence?” Noel believes he might die earlier than getting any cash. He stated: “I might never see it because a lot of my friends have gone. A lot of the people I met from this process have passed away.”

An unbiased public inquiry into the scandal started in February 2022. To today, not a single senior Post Office boss has been held to account, a lot much less confronted prison probes. They embody former CEO Paula Vennells, who oversaw the agency whereas it denied there have been issues.

But Noel revealed he would somewhat not see them jailed if discovered responsible of any offence. He added: “I would do what they did to us, take their ­property and their wealth, that would hurt them more than going to prison.” The Horizon system was launched in 1999. That similar yr workers started reporting errors and discrepancies.

Post Office chiefs quickly started non-public prosecutions for employees who reported much less revenue than Horizon stated they need to have. The first convictions adopted in 2000. The Post Office stated: “We’re doing all we can to right the wrongs of the past, as far as that is possible, and to date offers of ­compensation totalling more than £138million have been made to around 2,700 postmasters, the vast majority of which have been agreed and paid. Interim payments continue to be made in other cases which have not yet been resolved.” The Department for Business and Trade added: “We have made funding available to ensure all victims of the scandal can deservedly receive compensation.

“All those who have their Horizon convictions overturned are offered £600,000 in compensation.” Lawyers for Ms Vennells stated they have been unable to contact her. She apologised after the court docket ruling.

Alan Bates (misplaced £65,000 funding)

With accomplice Suzanne, Alan determined to purchase a Post Office and store in 1998 to present themselves time to pursue their hobbies. By the top of 2000 Alan, pictured, started to note issues with the Horizon system after a scarcity of £6,000 appeared on his books. Although he managed to rectify it by noticing a number of duplicated transactions within the system, in 2003 the Post Office claimed £1,200 was unaccounted for and terminated their contract, which means the couple misplaced the £65,000 they’d invested.

He then arrange an internet site to focus on his considerations with Horizon. His tenacity in taking the Post Office to the High Court, together with 5 others, led to evaluate ruling in 2019 that Horizon contained “bugs, errors and defects”. Now retired, Alan, 68, turned down the provide of an OBE for companies to justice final yr.

Jo Hamilton (Guilty plea to keep away from jail)

Starting work on the Post Office in 2001 whereas working a store in South Warnborough, Hampshire, Jo was appointed as sub-postmistress in 2003. When the defective Horizon IT system began exhibiting shortfalls on her account, she believed she had made a mistake and began paying it off together with her personal money. As the quantity she owed racked up she borrowed cash and remortgaged her home twice, however was finally fired and charged with the theft of £36,000.

In February 2009, Jo, pleaded responsible to false accounting so she might keep away from jail, then needed to promote her store and work as a cleaner, which she nonetheless does now. When her conviction was quashed in 2021 she was capable of entry compensation. Jo, 66, stated: “I felt like I was mad. I knew I wasn’t stealing, but I believed that the computer couldn’t be wrong.”

Noel Thomas (Sent to jail and tagged)

Wrongly accused of stealing £48,000, Noel was jailed for 9 months in 2005 and mistakenly despatched to Class B jail HMP Liverpool, the place he spent eight days earlier than transferring to an open jail. Noel, who had labored with spouse Eira on the submit workplace in Gaerwen on Anglesey, needed to put on a tag following his launch. He was then disqualified as a councillor and his daughter was pressured to promote her dwelling to pay his authorized prices earlier than his conviction was quashed in 2019.

Now 77, he remembers: “I found myself at Walton prison in Liverpool. It was horrible as I knew I had never done anything wrong. I felt terrible for my family as I was stuck in prison and they had to face people.” Noel, who labored for the Post Office for 42 years in whole, stated the empty apology statements from the organisation’s legal professionals imply “nothing”.

Lee Castleton (£346,000 invoice and bankrupt)

Having purchased his submit workplace in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, in 2003, it might be lower than a yr till Lee’s nightmare started. Horizon revealed a shortfall of £25,000 that might result in his conviction and chapter. Suspecting it was Horizon accountable, he referred to as the Post Office’s helpline relentlessly. But regardless of 91 makes an attempt to get assist, he was prosecuted. With no funds for a lawyer, he represented himself in court docket, was convicted and ordered to repay the cash plus prices of £321,000.

Lee says: “The ordeal caused my children to be bullied. My daughter was spat at on the school bus. My wife started to have fits that were diagnosed as epilepsy. It just smashed us. I suffered from nerve issues caused by blood pressure which caused me to pass out.”