An investigation of the largest miscarriage of justice in UK legal history. It's the story of how the Post Office systematically persecuted honest people, and h...
2024 was the year when the Post Office's victimisation of sub-postmasters became a ubiquitous national story, after the airing of an ITV Drama. "Mr Bates vs the Post Office" was viewed by more than 10 million people, and brought political momentum to the resolution of the ongoing injustices associated with the scandal. Before the election, the government passed landmark legislation to cut through the achingly slow judicial process and speedily overturn hundreds of convictions in one fell swoop. It was a major victory for Sub Postmasters and campaigners - but does it mean the scandal is over?In a new episode of "The Great Post Office Trial", Nick Wallis goes behind the scenes of the efforts to get that legislation passed, hearing from the then Justice secretary and Post Office minister on the complex negotiations against the clock that got it through. And he also hears about the key compromise that helped reduce criticism from the judiciary - but has left some convicted sub-postmasters still out in the cold.He also explores the question of accountability at the top, as the police investigation grinds on, revisiting the evidence given by former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells, which was pushed out of the news cycle by the announcement of the election. And he hears from Sub Postmasters who are still frustrated by the pace and quantity of compensation payments, as more victims of this scandal continue to be put through the ringer in pursuit of the compensation the government has promised; he puts their concerns to Gareth Thomas MP, who has taken over since the election as the minister responsible, and Neil Brocklehurst, the Post Office's interim CEO.Producer: Robert Nicholson
Executive Producer: Will Yates
Sound Design: Emma Barnaby
Research: Artemis IrvineA Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4.
--------
42:29
17. Facing the Music
The Post Office Horizon Scandal has been called the widest miscarriage of justice in modern British history, with the number of former Sub Postmasters whose convictions have been overturned now over 60. Those who suffered prosecution or financial ruin due to errors on the Post Office's Horizon computer system want answers. How could this have happened? Who is responsible?Continuing the series that has helped expose the scandal since 2020, Nick Wallis draws on interviews, documents and the extraordinary revelations spilling out of the ongoing public inquiry. For the first time, the public is getting real insight into what was really going on inside the Post Office.In Episode 17, Nick explores how senior Post Office lawyers and managers reacted in 2013 to the biggest challenge to the Horizon system yet. After MPs forced an independent investigation which identified bugs in Horizon, the Post Office publicly backed their computer system and reaffirmed their faith in the prosecutions they had conducted. But behind the scenes, all hell was breaking loose. Presenter: Nick Wallis
Producer: Robert Nicholson
Sound Design and Mixing: Arlie Adlington
Executive Producer: Will YatesA Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4
--------
15:05
16. Closed Ranks
The Post Office Horizon Scandal has been called the widest miscarriage of justice in modern British history, with the number of former Sub Postmasters whose convictions have been overturned now over 60. Those who suffered prosecution or financial ruin due to errors on the Post Office's Horizon computer system want answers. How could this have happened? Who is responsible?Continuing the series that has helped expose the scandal since 2020, Nick Wallis draws on interviews, documents and the extraordinary revelations spilling out of the ongoing public inquiry. For the first time, the public is getting real insight into what was really going on inside the Post Office.In Episode 16, we hear how newly revealed documents show that the Post Office rejected even internal calls for an independent investigation of Horizon. They instead commissioned a deliberately one sided internal report which never even considered evidence of errors. This report was nevertheless used to justify dismissing Sub Postmasters' concerns and maintaining an aggressive prosecution strategy.Presenter: Nick Wallis
Producer: Robert Nicholson
Sound Design and Mixing: Arlie Adlington
Executive Producer: Will YatesA Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4
--------
14:54
15. Breaking Lee Castleton
The Post Office Horizon Scandal has been called the widest miscarriage of justice in modern British history, with the number of former Sub Postmasters whose convictions have been overturned now over 60. Those who suffered prosecution or financial ruin due to errors on the Post Office's Horizon computer system want answers. How could this have happened? Who is responsible?Continuing the series that has helped expose the scandal since 2020, Nick Wallis draws on interviews, documents and the extraordinary revelations spilling out of the ongoing public inquiry. For the first time, the public is getting real insight into what was really going on inside the Post Office. In Episode 15, we hear how the Post Office ruined the life of Lee Castleton, a Sub Postmaster based in Bridlington who was taken to court over debts he says came from the Horizon computer system. New evidence reveals that the Post Office failed to investigate Lee's claims of computer errors in depth before taking him to court, and shows that evidence that may have cast doubt on Horizon was known about but not provided at the trial.Presenter: Nick Wallis
Producer: Robert Nicholson
Sound Design and Mixing: Arlie Adlington
Executive Producer: Will YatesA Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4
--------
14:50
14. The Prosecution Spree
The Post Office Horizon Scandal has been called the widest miscarriage of justice in modern British history, with the number of former Sub Postmasters whose convictions have been overturned now over 60. Those who suffered prosecution or financial ruin due to errors on the Post Office's Horizon computer system want answers. How could this have happened? Who is responsible?Continuing the series that has helped expose the scandal since 2020, Nick Wallis draws on interviews, documents and the extraordinary revelations spilling out of the ongoing public inquiry. For the first time, the public is getting real insight into what was really going on inside the Post Office. In Episode 14, we hear how the Post Office disregarded red flags about Horizon when it rolled the system out, and how flawed and incomplete prosecution policies set the stage for the mass prosecution of many innocent Sub Postmasters.Presenter: Nick Wallis
Producer: Robert Nicholson
Sound Design and Mixing: Arlie Adlington
Executive Producer: Will YatesA Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4
An investigation of the largest miscarriage of justice in UK legal history. It's the story of how the Post Office systematically persecuted honest people, and how a small band of victims fought back in the face of impossible odds.
UK