Latest news with #AlanBates
ITV News
6 days ago
- Politics
- ITV News
Post Office campaigner Sir Alan Bates to be honoured by University of Exeter
Sir Alan Bates, who campaigned to expose the Post Office Horizon scandal, is among those being awarded an honorary degree from the University of Exeter. Hundreds of sub-postmasters were pursued for apparent financial shortfalls which were actually caused by faults in the Horizon accounting software. A damning report into the scandal has concluded at least 13 people may have taken their own lives after being accused of wrongdoing. His story was featured in the ITV drama 'Mr Bates vs the Post Office'. Sir Alan, who previously lived and worked in Exeter, said he feels very honoured. 'I am well aware of the important work the University of Exeter Law School has undertaken to investigate the impact on the mental health of victims and the families of sub-postmasters involved with the Post Office Horizon scandal," he added. Former Exeter MP Sir Ben Bradshaw and Professor Penny Endersby, Chief Executive of the Met Office will also be recognised for their work. Prof Enderby said: 'Exeter has a fine reputation as one of the best places in the UK to research and study all aspects of climate, environment and sustainability, with increasingly global standing.' Also receiving honorary degrees are Andrew Ng, the founder of DeepLearning AI and Christopher Lockyear, Secretary General of Médecins Sans Frontières. Other political recipients include former leader of the Green Party Caroline Lucas, Baroness Warsi and Sir Sajid Javid.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Honorary degree for Post Office scandal campaigner Sir Alan Bates
Post Office scandal campaigner Sir Alan Bates will be awarded an honorary degree by the University of Alan spent more than two decades working to expose faulty Post Office accounting software which created shortfalls in sub postmaster accounts. The former Exeter resident was to join philanthropists, politicians, entrepreneurs and artificial intelligence pioneers being given honorary degrees this week, the university Alan said the recognition was an honour and thanked the university for its work investigating the impact of the Post Office Horizon scandal. "I feel very honoured to accept this honorary degree from Exeter," said Sir Alan. "Whilst it is many years since I have lived and worked in Exeter, I am well aware of the important work the University of Exeter Law School has undertaken to investigate the impact on the mental health of victims and the families of sub postmasters involved with the Post Office Horizon scandal." Other honorary degree recipients Former Green Party leader and co-leader Caroline LucasFormer Exeter MP and health minister Sir Ben BradshawFormer Conservative Party chair Baroness WarsiFormer Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Sajid JavidChief executive of the Met Office Professor Penny EndersbyBBC News analysis editor Ros AtkinsFounder of DeepLearning AI Andrew NgSecretary General of Medecins Sans Frontieres Christopher LockyearArts and culture coach and consultant Pippa WarinWriter Cheryl MorganEntrepreneur and philanthropist Erika Brodnock MBEPhilanthropist and former chair of Exeter's University Council Sarah TurvillChief executive of Advocates for International Development Yasmin Batliwala MBE A total of 6,348 students from 118 different countries are expected to graduate from nearly 170 courses at the university over the next two weeks. University president Professor Lisa Roberts said: "It is always so special to celebrate the amazing achievements of our graduating students with their loved ones, and wish them well as they embark on the next stage of their lives."We are also looking forward to celebrating the impact and achievements of our honorary graduates, who have made such an important contribution to society. Their work is truly inspiring, and we look forward to celebrating with them."
Rhyl Journal
08-07-2025
- Rhyl Journal
Horizon IT scandal final report will be ‘monumental', says ex-subpostmaster
More than 900 subpostmasters were wrongfully prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 in what has been dubbed as the worst miscarriage of justice in British legal history. Many were wrongly convicted of crimes such as theft and false accounting after faulty Horizon software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts. Subpostmasters' lives were destroyed, with some bankrupted by legal action and sent to prison. On Tuesday, the first volume of the Horizon IT inquiry's final report will be published, covering the devastating impact on the lives of the scandal's victims and the compensation process. Leading campaigner Chris Head was falsely accused of stealing more than £80,000 from his branch in West Boldon, near Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, in 2006 before the criminal case against him was dropped. Speaking to the PA news agency ahead of the report being published, the former subpostmaster, who started running his branch aged 18, said: 'It's a monumental day. 'I do believe it will be damning for both the Post Office and the Government. 'It's quite clear that there has been a deliberate attempt to cover this whole scandal up and now, obviously, the further traumatic experience of people trying to receive redress.' The issue of financial redress has frequently been flagged as an issue by subpostmasters with many still awaiting full compensation. The various compensation schemes have been criticised by victims as unfair and difficult to navigate, processes which lead campaigner Sir Alan Bates has previously described as 'quasi-kangaroo courts'. Mr Head said he hoped the report would push the Government further 'to do more and do it quicker.' 'People will not get closure until accountability is found,' he added. 'Unfortunately, with the wheels of justice, they turn so slowly. 'So I'm always focused on the fact that, let's get the redress for people who were so badly affected.' Retired judge Sir Wyn Williams, the chairman of the probe, will make a public statement following the report's publication. In an interim report published in July 2023, Sir Wyn described legislative changes made to resolve issues with the redress schemes as 'a patchwork quilt of compensation schemes… with some holes in it'. The inquiry was established in 2020, with a number of witnesses giving evidence on the use of Fujitsu's Horizon system, Post Office governance and the legal action taken against subpostmasters. In a previous statement addressing the compensation schemes, the Department for Business and Trade said: 'This Government has quadrupled the total amount paid to affected postmasters to provide them with full and fair redress, with more than £1 billion having now been paid to over 7,300 claimants.'
Rhyl Journal
08-07-2025
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Which are the subpostmaster redress schemes and what criticism have they faced?
Here, the PA news agency looks at the ways in which victims have been able to claim money and criticisms the various processes have faced: Group Litigation Order (GLO) Scheme – Who is eligible to apply for compensation under the scheme? The GLO scheme was set up for the 555 people who took the Post Office to the High Court in order for the financial settlement from their case to better reflect the effect it had on their lives. – Who was involved in the High Court case against the Post Office? Lead campaigner Sir Alan Bates was one of the 555 subpostmasters who alleged the Horizon system had been at fault for shortfalls in their accounts and was a key figure in bringing the case to court. – How many of the 555 claimants from the High Court are eligible for compensation under the scheme? A total of 492 subpostmasters are entitled to apply for redress under the GLO scheme, with the remaining 63 ineligible to use the scheme due to their wrongful criminal convictions. – How much money has been paid out by the Government under the GLO scheme? As of June 30 2025, a total of £177 million had been paid out to the GLO claimants, including interim payments. – How many of the claimants have accepted compensation offers from the Government? From the 452 offers made to GLO claimants, 336 have accepted their compensation offers and 334 claims have been paid. – What criticism has the GLO scheme faced? Sir Alan has previously described the scheme as a 'mess' and accused the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) of ignoring advice on how to streamline and speed up the process 'out of hand with the feeblest of excuses'. Overturned Convictions Scheme – Who is eligible to apply for redress under the scheme? Almost 1,000 subpostmasters were wrongfully convicted as part of the Horizon scandal and those who have since had their convictions quashed are able to apply to the scheme. – What were subpostmasters prosecuted for? A large proportion of wrongfully convicted subpostmasters were prosecuted by the Post Office for offences such as theft and false accounting after money went missing from their branch accounts. – Is the scheme still running? The scheme was closed by the Government last month in order to make way for the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme following new legislation which overturned all convictions related to the Horizon scandal. – How much money was paid out as part of the scheme? A total of £68 million was paid out to claimants, including interim payments. – How many claims were made under the scheme? According to Government data, 111 victims were eligible for redress under the scheme, with the Post Office fully settling 71 of the claims and paying a minimum of £200,000 as an interim payment to the remaining claimants. The remaining 40 claims are now being administered through the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme. Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme – What is the difference between the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme and the Overturned Convictions Scheme? Compensation administered through the Horizon Conviction Redress Scheme is paid out by the Government rather than the Post Office and comes following the blanket overturning of convictions related to the Horizon system. – What money is on offer for those who have had their convictions overturned? Victims eligible for the scheme are able to either accept a fixed sum of £600,000 or submit a more detailed individual claim. All applicants are eligible for a £200,000 interim payment. – How much money has been paid out under the scheme? As of June 30 2025, a total of £252 million has been paid out under the scheme, including interim payments. – How many claims have been settled as part of the scheme? From the 416 final claims made, a total of 401 have been accepted and 397 have been paid. – What criticisms has the scheme received? Many subpostmasters have criticised the way in which the detailed individual claims are held as those who choose that method are no longer entitled to the fixed £600,000 sum and potentially face receiving less money. Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) – Who is eligible to apply for the HSS? The HSS scheme was set up for those who experienced shortfalls in their accounts due to the Horizon system but were not wrongfully convicted or part of the 555 who took the Post Office to the High Court. – What are the claimants entitled to? In March 2024, HSS claimants were made eligible for a £75,000 interim payment. – What criticisms has the scheme received? Many claimants have said they were forced to accept low offers without legal advice. – Who administers the compensation? The initial claims are paid out by the Post Office but appeals are dealt with by DBT. – Were those who were eligible for the £75,000 fixed sum able to claim more money? HSS claimants are able to send their claim to an independent appeals system called Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals. – How much has been paid out as part of the scheme? As of June 30 2025, a total of £601 million has been paid to claimants, including interim payments. – How many claims have been settled as part of the scheme? A total of 7,750 claims have been made as part of the scheme, with 5,160 offers made, 4,774 offers accepted by claimants and 4,732 paid in full.
Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Post Office scandal's human cost - 13 suicides, cancer and electroshock therapy
A damning Inquiry report has laid bare the horrific consequences for the victims of the Post Office scandal and their families. The shocking miscarriage of justice saw subpostmasters accused of stealing money, based on accounting data from the Horizon IT system which it knew was faulty. In a 162-page report, Sir Wyn Williams described how innocent post office workers were wrongly accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting. They were shunned in their own communities, faced homelessness and financial ruin and in 236 cases, served prison sentences. Heartbreakingly, the retired judge also revealed for the first time that 13 people - six former subpostmasters and seven others - had taken their own lives, with at least 59 people having contemplated suicide. Post Office inquiry bombshell as at least THIRTEEN victims took own lives Back in 1999, the Post Office introduced a new computer accounting system named Horizon, designed to boost efficiency. But software glitches resulted in false financial discrepancies and the organisation unjustly accused its staff of stealing the missing funds. More than 900 innocent postal workers were convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting, including village post office owner Alan Bates, who lost £65,000 and would later spearhead the campaign for justice. The faulty technology caused irreparable damage to many lives, with sub-postmasters nationwide losing their jobs, being incarcerated, and suffering severe mental distress. While the financial fallout of the scandal - more than £1 billion of taxpayers' money - is infuriating, the human cost is even more heartbreaking. Former Post Office worker Martin Griffiths was 59 when he took his own life in 2013, falsely accused of embezzling tens of thousands of pounds. Having dedicated two decades of service to the Post Office, Martin faced an erroneous charge of theft from the Ellesmere Port branch. The branch's flawed accounting system falsely indicated a £61,000 shortfall. In a desperate attempt to rectify the situation, Mr Griffiths tapped into his personal savings. His sister, Jayne Caveen, lamented that a "bloody faulty computer system killed my brother". Sadly, Mr Griffiths' case was not isolated. Another devastating incident involved Devon postmaster Peter Huxham, aged 63, who passed away alone in what is suspected to be a suicide after serving an eight-month prison sentence due to a £16,000 discrepancy. The ordeal reportedly shattered his 22-year marriage and led him down a path of alcohol dependency. Assistant coroner Stephen Covell, while recording an open conclusion at an inquest into Peter's death, said: "It is unfortunately rather an unsatisfactory state of affairs that I cannot give any helpful conclusions as to the precise circumstances... He lived alone and died some weeks previously and as a result, his body was badly decomposed and it was not possible to give a cause of death. There were no suspicious circumstances." Midlands-based sub-postmistress Saman 'Sam' Kaur endured devastating mental health struggles after being falsely accused of theft by her employer. Her ordeal stretched across three years, during which she fell into depression. In ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Sam was depicted harming herself in an attempt to take her own life. According to the show, she required electric shock therapy in hospital when alternative treatments proved unsuccessful. Sam was ultimately exonerated of all charges and joined the justice campaign with the unwavering support of her husband, Jasgun Singh. Mother-of-two Fiona McGowan allegedly descended into severe depression after she and her partner, Phil Cowan, faced accusations of stealing £30,000 from her Edinburgh post office. She died from an accidental overdose of anti-depressants and alcohol in 2009, aged 47, whilst awaiting her court appearance. Phil, who now resides in Thailand, told The Sunday Post: "Fiona may well be still alive today if she had not been facing court for false accusations of theft and died before clearing her name." The late Julian Wilson, who managed a post office in Astwood Bank, Worcestershire, was relieved of his duties in 2008 when auditors discovered a shortfall of over £27,000 in the branch's accounts. His widow Karen, determined to fight for justice on his behalf, is convinced that the ordeal played a part in his demise from bowel cancer in 2020. Speaking to The Guardian, she said: "He was only 67. I never said that this did kill him but it did massively contribute, definitely." In a landmark case in 2020, the Post Office settled for £57.75 million after more than 550 former sub-postmasters initiated a class action lawsuit due to the Horizon system, which was later found to have software defects leading to financial discrepancies in their accounts. Further scrutiny exposed that Post Office executives were aware that IT glitches might be responsible for the missing funds yet continued to prosecute employees. A spokesperson for the Post Office said previously: "We have taken determined action to address past events and we are working to reform the Post Office, to forge an open and transparent relationship with the thousands of current postmasters providing customers with vital services in the UK's communities. We agreed a comprehensive resolution last year with claimants in group civil litigation, following successful independent mediation. "We sincerely apologise to those affected."
