The Post Office Scandal (Britain & Mr Bates)

[U99]

This is a thread for messages about the Post Office Scandal (of Britain).
Brought to prominence, by the 2024 ITV drama "Mr. Bates versus The Post Office".

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Having all such messages from from hereonwards, upon *this* thread, will hopefully make it easier to track down individual messages & key points.

If our moderators cannot bear the thought, of these messages being upon this thread?
Then please move messages / etc., *without* removing my kneecaps! 😭

Or if messages from elsewhere on VEF, IYO deserve moving across - and onto this thread?
Please insert those *after this opening message* - but before my posts which follow this.

Thank you.

[U99]

Post Office (Horizon System) Compensation Bill

BBC Parliament Channel (live(?) coverage, 2024-01-16 Tue (around 21:12 ish GMT, onwards. Programme ended 22:30 ish).

Said by Labour Peer Lord Sikka (no - even I scarcely knew of him either! 😳 ) . Who it was mentioned, is by profession an auditor.

Coming up, are non verbatim summaries written by me, of what MHL (Member of the House of Lords) Sikka said. With extras, added by myself.

[U99]

Boardroom failure

The existing Post Office board needs to be removed. Nobody can any longer consider, that the board members, non executive directors, auditors, et al, are fit to remain in their positions.

There have been 83 people registered at Companies House, as directors at the P.O. from 2000-2023. Despite full inside knowledge, *none* went on public record - to say that there was something wrong with the Horizon computer system. They concealed the truth. They were complicit. They lied. They committed fraud.

The P.O. has also had several non exec directors and auditors, who are supposed to challenge what the exec board does. *None* ever spoke up, despite being heads of the Audit Committee - and they had a Risk Management Committee too. There has been a conspiracy of silence, a conspiracy of injustice - and fraud. And they all need to be held to account.

[U99]

Where has the money gone?

The money extracted from postmasters under fraudulent pretenses, was identified in a Second Sight official report of 2015 as follows:-

2010-2015 : substantial unreconciled accounts money surplus balances have built up, in P.O. "Suspense Account". Money in that fund each year, should have been paid back to deficit affected postmasters - but was not.

Instead? Money was transferred across to boost P.O. profit figures - and thus boost board / execs / etc. bonus payments! 🤡😡

[U99]

Company Law & the audit trail

Unlike in most other similar countries? There is currently, no *central* enforcement of Company Law by the British government. Meaning no enforcement against the P.O. thus far, for failure to keep proper and accurate accounts by the board and non execs.

Ernst & Young were auditors till 2018. Post Office Ltd had not kept accurate records. The auditors knew that accounts keeping was not sufficient. They and Deloittes, both involved. An E & Y internal report to P.O. management in 2011, expressed concerns about issues with how Horizon was being operated. Yet as auditors, E & Y did not include those same concerns, within any subsequent official audit reports. Ernst & Young need to be subject to legal action. Having failed to do their duties to their client the P.O. - and thus cost the taxpayer considerable sums in the long run.

Use of a "Suspense Account", over such a long term basis, is not a regular practice. It should be regarded as a clear sign, that accounting accuracy problems are taking place.

[U99]

Compensation claims handling

The P.O. should be not be considered, as a suitable body to handle compensation claims.

Administration of that needs taking out of P.O. hands. Something evidenced, by the P.O. making their compensation offers to some victims conditional upon *signing away* their rights to take further legal action. Evidenced too, by the official claim form for the P.O. compensation scheme being a 14 pages long document. Regarded by victims, as deliberately made onerous and off-putting to fill in.

One postmaster was even offered as [full] compensation, the derisory sum of 15 pounds and 75 pence. Just over £1, for each page of the claim form! 😮

Final proof, that the Post Office cannot be consided as suitable to operate *any* matters involving compensation for victims.

[foxbat1]

It sounds like Fujitsu has accepted that it is going to have to pay out on this one, as has the Post Office. I'm sure they will be fighting against each other to determine how pays how much though.

It will be interesting to see how much is offered. Presumably both the PO and Fujitsu will be keen to avoid further litigation, but compensation for full losses, time spent in prison, and the emotional distress will be very high. The UK doesn't typically award massive, punitive compensation, but given the number of victims is at least 700...

[U99]

Originally Posted by foxbat1

The UK doesn't typically award massive, punitive compensation, but given the number of victims is at least 700...

One report said 983 were prosecuted.

[seany65]

Shouldn't all the postmasters and postmistresses not only get their money back and compensation, but also any legal costs, considering that they shouldn't have been prosecuted in the first place?

Lol, Prolly have to cancel HS2 and use the money for that to cover the costs.

[foxbat1]

Originally Posted by seany65

Shouldn't all the postmasters and postmistresses not only get their money back and compensation, but also any legal costs, considering that they shouldn't have been prosecuted in the first place?

Lol, Prolly have to cancel HS2 and use the money for that to cover the costs.

Legal costs, and compensation for the consequences of those convictions. Some lost homes, most lost businesses, some lost lives and the lives of loved ones.

The legal action against the PO only yielded around £20,000 per victim, and only for the around 550 who joined it.

Every victim's circumstances will be different, so every one will be due differing amounts of compensation. I'm sure the PO would like to only pay as much as needed in each case, but that means potentially years and years of negotiation and potential legal action. It's very hard to see how it can be done quickly, unless the PO is very accepting of claims without too much question.