Post Office Scandal - Nick Read intv - Compensation for Alan Bates

Interview Nick Read, Chief Executive, Post Office, On getting compensation for former sub-postmaster Alan Bates, who led the fightback against the faulty Horizon IT system, "it's important we get the right level of compensation for him" (BBC News 10pm bulletin - 09/04/24 - AEXZ288W) STORY: The Post Office scandal has been long-running - between 1999 and 2015, over 700 Post Office branch managers were blamed for a bug in the computer system, Horizon, developed by Fujitsu, which made it appear as though money was going missing in the Post Office system. Sub-postmasters were made to repay the money themselves, leaving them financially ruined, and some were wrongfully convicted of false accounting and theft, leading to a widespread miscarriage of justice. After 20 years, campaigners won a legal battle to have their cases reconsidered. A public inquiry is ongoing, but many victims are still fighting to have their convictions overturned, or to secure full compensation. An ITV drama in 2024, Mr Bates vs The Post Office, expedited government action in this and increased public awareness.