Mr bates v the Post Office

[PhilM]

The PO legal teams booked the courts as it had nothing to do with the CPS…separate entities.
Lots of PO prosecutions in different geographical locations over 10 years is easier to disguise than the CPS turning up saying we have 550+ postmasters to prosecute all in one go.

Aye, the PO is one of the entities of staff that have the power to prosecute, so they can and did bypass the CPS in many cases.

@COYBL25 it won’t be as clear cut as we will hope, but from my experience some of the cases sit into the remit of fraud by false representation.

Did they lie or falsely represent in court to take money from people? Yes.

 

[arch stanton]

Fabricating evidence and bearing false witness are two very separate and very serious distinct crimes. Someone will blame the system, and weasel out of responsibility by having such great faith in said system. Boils down to the 'it's only you that's had this money go missing', when it was hundreds of cases.

Who at crown prosecution hq was ok'ing case after case? That's criminal negligence. Another crime. Some of these victims have killed themselves. The stakes are already catastrophic.

It took Marcus Rashford to get involved to fight for free school dinners for the poorest kids in society.
It's taken a dramatised tv show 10+ years after the fact to engage the machine of justice because 'we the people' have spotted such industrial sized crime.
What next? Mr Blobby to crack international terrorism? One perverted fiasco to the next on the descent to hell.

This is one of the big issues that the CPS were never in the loop, the PO can bring their own prosecutions and pre date even the police as a prosecuting body by a couple of hundred years.

There may be some very serious offences uncovered in this investigation but I dont want to scapegoat the wrong people, witch hunt the wrong people, out of a public backlash. There will be a number of people who knew exactly what was going on and either facilitated it or did nothing about it. They are the ones who should be gaoled for a long long time.

 

[Iana]

In fact that's an interesting one. The computer system was inventing lost monies, in some cases and not others. What % of post masters nationwide were effected.

And how many of those post offices affected by Horizon issues were on the PO list as being “unviable” due to the low level of transactions or non-profitable ones?

 

[Rita_Poon]

And how many of those post offices affected by Horizon issues were on the PO list as being “unviable” due to the low level of transactions or non-profitable ones?

ooh, a % within a %, a very convenient means of closing loss making branches. no, not in tory britain, accountability remember, justice for all, no one left behind, levelling up etc.
Sooner this island sinks the better.

 

[Rita_Poon]

"In 2013, Royal Mail was floated on the London Stock Exchange. The Government initially retained a 30 per cent stake in the service, but sold its remaining shares in 2015 under former chancellor George Osborne. It is now a public limited company, meaning it is owned by shareholders."

Hmmm. A furore in court would prevent a sale of such an entity wouldn't it? The shareholders today will blame the fiasco before sale and disown all responsibility. Big game of music chairs, but the losers have been the staff and the lives now extinguished.

 

[Joey66]

this bit of the tread related to those in Fujitsu Joey, the PO side were wrong in their methodology of prosecuting, failure to disclose information to ensure a fair trial. improper interview techniques, amongst lots of other wrongdoing.

One word corruption

 

[peteblue]

ooh, a % within a %, a very convenient means of closing loss making branches. no, not in tory britain, accountability remember, justice for all, no one left behind, levelling up etc.
Sooner this island sinks the better.

This isn’t really about politics, other than those like Ed Davey who did nothing. It started during the Blair/Brown years and continued during Cameron years. The two bodies to look at are the PO and Fujitsu tbh……

 

[Rita_Poon]

This isn’t really about politics, other than those like Ed Davey who did nothing. It started during the Blair/Brown years and continued during Cameron years. The two bodies to look at are the PO and Fujitsu tbh……

This isn't about politics, except for lib dem ed davey and labours blair brown.

Yep, keep that flag of truth flying pete. Same as it ever was....

 

[arch stanton]

"if you admit it, you won't go to jail, and you can be the mum your kids need"

hmmm.

exactly, many were put in an invidious position to choose between what they know to be true and the real pragmatism of throwing in a guilty plea to remain outside of prison. Very very sad.

 

[Joey66]

This isn’t really about politics, other than those like Ed Davey who did nothing. It started during the Blair/Brown years and continued during Cameron years. The two bodies to look at are the PO and Fujitsu tbh……

I found MPs were helpful -but when the crapstorm emerges let's have a long public Inquery & just kick the can down the road taking years too.
How many public inquirys have fetched justice for the average innocent person...?

 

[peteblue]

I found MPs were helpful -but when the crapstorm emerges let's have a long public Inquery & just kick the can down the road taking years too.
How many public inquirys have fetched justice for the average innocent person...?

Indeed, public inquiries take forever, cost a fortune and nothing ever comes of them…….

 

[Rita_Poon]

best blame the thalidomide sufferers
and the blood scandal victims
chuck em on the pile with the 97 whilst you're there

lessons learned, accountability had, justice served. broken britain. Has been for a long time.

 

[mightymoyes]

that sounds as I would expect, quite a small number of people who knew this stuff was dogturd but they still allowed it to be used as evidence against innocent people, many others may only have known half of the story.

Let's hope that first group all are found, tried and convicted.

The programme suggested everyone in the room (20+ on duty) knew the system was dodgy.
Personally think everyone in fujitsu were well aware their system was not working and were happy to cover it up

 

[Joey66]

The programme suggested everyone in the room (20+ on duty) knew the system was dodgy.
Personally think everyone in fujitsu were well aware their system was not working and were happy to cover it up

The majority of the top management of the post office were more than likely complicent tpp, but hey just give the top director a CBE plus she's a vicar part time - then Ed Davetnow trying his best to cover his arsp

You couldn't make it up

 

[ForestBlue]

Ive followed this story for years now. Absolute national scandal on so many levels.

Watched the whole series this week and thought it was brilliant and it has finally shone a light on this scandal to a much bigger audience.

I highly recommend a 20+ part series on Radio 4 called The Great Post Office Trial which goes into a lot more detail. If you were angry watching the TV series you will be absolutely fuming when you listen to the podcast.