Fact-based drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office retells events related to The British Post Office scandal, which has rightly been called one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history.
The series tells the stories of some of the sub-postmasters who were wrongly accused of theft and fraud by Post Office management. In truth, it was an error within the Horizon accounting system rolled out by the Post Office that created cash shortfalls at certain Post Office branches.
One of the central figures in Mr Bates vs The Post Office is Alan Bates, who is played by Toby Jones in the programme.
Who is Alan Bates?
Alan Bates is a former sub-postmaster who, with his wife, used his life savings to buy a Post Office branch in Llandudno, North Wales in 1998.
He was forced to resign from his post in 2003 when Post Office management held him responsible for financial losses at his branch.
Alan had become aware of the issues within the Horizon computer system when he noticed a shortfall of £6000 in his books. But despite his findings, the Post Office still blamed him for the financial loss. When he refused to accept liability, his contract was terminated.
What did Alan Bates do?
After leaving his post, Alan set up a website to highlight the problems within the Horizon computing software. In the process, he met other sub-postmasters and mistresses who had discovered similar issues. Some of these people had been prosecuted after being held liable for unaccounted losses.
In 2018, Alan and other lead claimants took the Post Office to the High Court in a Group Litigation Order (GLO). In 2019, a judge ruled in the postmasters’ favour after concluding that there were bugs in the Horizon computer system. As a consequence, around 100 convictions in cases involving Horizon were overturned. More cases are expected to be overturned in the future.
Where is Alan Bates now?
Following his campaign on behalf of the sub-postmasters and mistresses who were unfairly prosecuted, Alan received a Pride of Britain award in 2023.
That same year, he was also recommended for an OBE but he felt it inappropriate to accept it as Paula Vennells, the former CEO of the Post Office, had retained her CBE for services to charity and the Post Office.
He said in an interview with Good Morning Britain:
“It would have been a slap in the face to the rest of the group because Paula Venells, the CEO for many years of Post Office, received a CBE for her services to Post Office. Well, what service has she actually done?”
Vennells has since handed back her CBE.
Alan Bates is now retired but he hasn’t given up campaigning on behalf of the Post Office victims. At the time of writing, a Public Inquiry into the Post Office scandal is taking place. On March 9, 2024, Alan told the inquiry:
“I have spent the last 23 years campaigning to expose the truth, and justice, not just for myself, but for the entire group of wrongly treated/wrongly convicted subpostmasters.
I have dedicated this period of my life to this cause which, sadly, has been necessary since Post Office Limited has spent this entire period denying, lying, defending, and attempting to discredit and silence me and the group of subpostmasters that the Justice For Subpostmasters Alliance represents.” (source)
This David and Goliath story is not over yet as Alan continues to work tirelessly on behalf of the many innocents who were discredited by the Post Office.
Read More: What happened to Paula Vennells?
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