Post Office scandal victims’ struggle for justice recognised in New Years Honours checklist

Victims of the Post Office scandal have vowed to “never give in” in their fight for justice after being recognised in the King’s New Years Honours list.

Lee Castleton, Seema Misra, Chris Head and Jo Hamilton were made OBEs for services to justice – after Sir Alan Bates was knighted earlier this year. Over 900 subpostmasters were wrongfully prosecuted after faulty Horizon software made it look as though money was missing from their branch accounts.

Ex-Post Office boss Paula Vennells handed back her own CBE in January after over 1million signed a petition demanding she be stripped of the gong.

Mr Castleton, who was played by actor Will Mellor in the ITV hit-drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office earlier this year, said on Monday he was “very honoured and proud”. He said: “Sometimes you have to step forward and shout as loud as you can because some of our group aren’t able to do that.”

Mr Castleton was made bankrupt within a year of buying his branch in East Yorkshire after his system showed a £25,000 shortfall. He said his message to those in charge of redress for his fellow subpostmasters would be: “I would say you will be judged on your actions, not your words, and we will never give in.”

Former sub-postmistress Seema Misra who was wrongly jailed while pregnant also said she hoped the OBE would “give more weight to the fight” for justice and redress. She added: “It’s one of the main reasons I accepted it – to remind people that the scandal hasn’t gone yet.”

Others celebrated in the King’s New Years Honours List include unsung heroes and community champions. Among them are Gail and Jason O’Shea, from Essex, who are awarded MBEs for charitable services to ill and terminally ill children.

Through their organisation Wipe Away Those Tears they have supported more than 1,000 children and raised over £1.5million. Speaking during a press conference at the Tower of London, the couple said: “We didn’t know what the letter was, we thought it was a parking fine or speeding ticket. When we actually read it it was like ‘wow’ it’s been quite hard keeping this a secret.”

They highlighted raising money to give a young girl with cancer a special £15,000 device enabling her to stand as one of their favourite memories. Mr O’Shea added: “It was a pinch me moment.”

18-year-old Mikayla Beames, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of four, is one of the youngest recipients of an award with a BEM in the New Years Honours List.

The teenager set up a charity which has granted the wishes of hundreds of other children suffering from cancer and given out over 1,000 Christmas presents. Asked what advice she would give to other young people considering charity work, she said: “Do it, it’s so rewarding and knowing that you can make a difference to others is amazing.”

Campaigner Nathaniel Dye, whose stage 4 bowel cancer has spread to his brain and appeared at Labour’s election manifesto launch, is also honoured with an MBE.

He said: “I was delighted to accept as here is one more chance to make my family proud but I also hope this honour will help towards what has become my main aim in life: to raise awareness in the hope that people can catch cancer earlier and not end up like me in the first place.” Also on the list is Michael Bennion, 72, from Crewe, Cheshire, who was made an MBE having been involved in the Scouts for 54 years.

In a statement the Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Each and every day, ordinary people go out and do extraordinary things for their communities. They represent the very best of the UK and that core value of service which I put at the centre of everything this government does.

“The New Year Honours List celebrates more of these unsung heroes, and I thank them for their incredible contribution.”