Mr. Bates v Post Office

[stevestrat]

Originally Posted by torque2me

So much for Christian ethics and values but was she not a "Lay-Preacher?"
Kev

C of E minister, at one point considered for the Bishop of London.

In the documentary that accompanied drama series they showed emails from her to advisers asking what she should say in front of the parliamentary committee.

[Bolin]

This journalistic podcast on the matter is well worth listening to, particularly episode 11:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000wl4b

PO knew about problems with the prosecutions by at least 2012 yet carried on until 2015 and never attempted to put things right of their own volition.

Based on my own experience of public bodies this sounds like par for the course......

[trikey]

It's a shame it's took an ITV programme to get the government to act on this.

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[torque2me]

Just been reading the questioning under oath of Steve Bradshaw the PO investigator in many of the "fraud" cases. His response is that lawyers drafted his letters and he just signed them. I always thought that the person signing a letter is responsible for the contents.

"Not me your Worship, it was all the fault of lawyers".
Kev

[wraymond]

I'm not a lawyer but.... The signing defines the act. The lawyers, being what they are, are acting behind the defence wall of advisory only. So they get the big bucks without the risk. Send your kids to law school and make 'em rich.

[torque2me]

Originally Posted by trikey

It's a shame it's took an ITV programme to get the government to act on this.

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Trikey, I thought this and posted such a view earlier. However, have since learned that Panorama were onto the case as early as 2005 (maybe prompted by Computer Weekly) but the PO disinformation machine threw dampers on it especially when PO threatened legal action.

So, I salute the efforts of the programme makers and the BBC for continuing the quest for the truth. They were instrumental in keeping the issue alive and gave hope to those effected.

Go to BBC/news and press the play button for live proceedings of the inquiry and check the links for the stories Panorama was responsible for and the PO response.
Kev

[torque2me]

Originally Posted by trikey

It's a shame it's took an ITV programme to get the government to act on this.

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Actually the inquiry was set-up in 2019, well before the ITV docu-drama.
Kev

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by torque2me

Actually the inquiry was set-up in 2019, well before the ITV docu-drama.

Hi Kev,

There seem to be various dates given for when the inquiry started depending upon which website is consulted but I understand that it is unable to award compensation and is still ongoing!

The great thing about the ITV drama is that, being available on a public service channel, it can reach potentially a huge audience. That publicity is what has resulted in the government taking the immediate extraordinary steps we've seen this week which I think everyone agrees were urgently needed. Today's article in Computer Weekly is worth reading.

The question is, would that have happened without the ITV drama's assistance? Personally, I don't believe it would.

Simon

[Bolin]

Originally Posted by torque2me

Trikey, I thought this and posted such a view earlier. However, have since learned that Panorama were onto the case as early as 2005 (maybe prompted by Computer Weekly) but the PO disinformation machine threw dampers on it especially when PO threatened legal action.

Kev the Panorama was 2015, but PO knew in 2003 that Horizon was duff, they asked someone independent and he reported as such, so they sacked him and discredited the report.

And then got someone else to make a one-sided report outlining why it could be trusted.

Shocking cover-up whilst innocent folk were subjected to a witch-hunt for 12 more years.

[torque2me]

Originally Posted by Bolin

Kev the Panorama was 2015, but PO knew in 2003 that Horizon was duff, they asked someone independent and he reported as such, so they sacked him and discredited the report.

And then got someone else to make a one-sided report outlining why it could be trusted.

Shocking cover-up whilst innocent folk were subjected to a witch-hunt for 12 more years.

I'll have to double check the Panorama aspect as I believe they did more than one investigation and programme. 2015 is about right for when I donated to the crowdfunding to take the PO to court.

Guess what, Tony Blair is also in the frame for giving the go-ahead to the project after concerns were raised it was a bag of nails even then. Mandleson and others gave assurances that it was "robust". "Teflon" Tony is being given a "clean bill of health" by his spokesperson and other apologists. Read the story on the BBC web site.
Kev