Mr Bates v The Post Office: A valuable take on an unbelievable scandal

One enduring curiosity of the Post Office scandal is how it has not fully permeated the British consciousness. Many people will be vaguely aware that Post Office staff were wrongly convicted but the whole episode has yet to really stir the outrage it should.

Perhaps the numbers are – conversely – a problem, and the Birmingham Six or Guildford Four are easier to get to grips with than the Post Office 700-plus. It might be that the Post Office is still a revered institution, or there may be a lingering – albeit incorrect – suspicion that surely some of those convicted must have done something wrong.

Mr Bates v The Post Office, ITV’s drama into how the scandal unfolded, is perhaps the best opportunity to establish this miscarriage of justice in the public psyche. The four-part series, which opened last night, is a comprehensive account of the lives destroyed by the Post Office’s refusal to believe that the Horizon IT system was to blame for accounting errors, rather than its own sub-postmasters.

The first episode established from the outset the sheer ordinariness of the victims. They were established members of their communities – cherished, loved and trusted by those they served. They were bewildered by shortages on branch accounts yet were treated immediately with suspicion by unyielding investigators.

The eponymous Alan Bates, played by Toby Jones, refused to pay back sums the Post Office said were owed for apparent shortfalls.

Others, such as Jo Hamilton (Monica Dolan) were scared for their livelihoods and forced to pay back money they did not owe. Dolan’s portrayal of the scone-baking matriarch of her village was heartbreaking, as Hamilton battled in vain to make the sums add up.

In Bridlington, Lee Castleton (Will Mellor) was taken to court by the Post Office in a bid to pay back the £26,000 he apparently owed. When the case was inexplicably dragged to the Royal Courts of Justice, Castleton represented himself and lost. He was hit with more than £300,000 in costs. The programme showed his children being bullied at school for having a father who purportedly stole from pensioners. Anyone associated with the justice system would have felt shame that something we hold in such high regard could have so badly failed this innocent man.

The first episode ended with these individuals starting to come together to fight back. The second episode (which airs tonight) continues that theme, but adds a new character which highlights just how tragic this scandal became in some cases. It is harrowing but demands to be watched.

There is time in the series for those in charge of the Post Office to be exposed for their role in this dreadful affair. Future episodes also draw focus on the tortuous legal process for Bates and hundreds of others to begin to clear their names. Many unfair convictions remain, and compensation is still owed to hundreds.

Those responsible may be held accountable through the Post Office Inquiry, which should report its findings later this year. The inquiry has already heard from several lawyers who were involved, including the one leading the civil case against Castleton.

For now, Mr Bates v The Post Office serves as a valuable resource for making the public know the scale and wickedness of this scandal. It also shows the remarkable spirit, resilience and humour of the victims – many of who regularly attend the inquiry to hear their stories retold. It is to be hoped the programme helps to bring them the closure and compensation they deserve.

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