Alan Bates calls for Post Office scandal prosecutions

Alan Bates has suggested those responsible for the Post Office scandal should be prosecuted, with the comments coming ahead of his first appearance at the inquiry into the flawed Horizon system.

The Horizon computer software in Post Offices recorded false losses on branch accounts, which resulted in more than 900 sub-postmasters being wrongly prosecuted between 1999 and 2015.

Mr Bates, who led the campaign for justice, had his story turned into an ITV drama. Tuesday will be the first time he has given evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry, at the start of a phase that will examine governance, redress and how the Post Office and others have responded to the scandal.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: “People have got to be held accountable, I see no sign of it yet – but I think after the inquiry that’s definitely the next stage.

“And then we start looking at prosecutions, not just that as well. Huge bonuses have been paid to people over the years. Some of that should be clawed back.”

His comments came as Kevin Hollinrake, the Post Office minister, said those found to be responsible for the scandal should “go to jail”.

He said the inquiry was “unearthing evidence”, adding: “Where evidence has been established and people should be prosecuted ... I certainly feel, people within the Post Office and possibly further afield should go to jail.

“[The rule of law] has failed, failed these people [sub-postmasters], inexcusably. We do believe in process, that’s the country we are very proud to live in. But if the threshold is met, the evidence is there, criminal prosecutions can be undertaken and those prosecutions, those people, are found guilty, then as I say, I have no reservations in saying people should go to jail.”

It came after Paula Vennells, the former Post Office chief executive, refused to answer questions about the scandal after being seen in public for the first time since the ITV drama aired.

Ms Vennells is also set to give evidence to the inquiry in the coming weeks.

There is mounting evidence suggesting bosses at the Post Office and Fujitsu were aware of flaws in the Horizon system but continued to pursue prosecutions of sub-postmasters.

Speaking to The Telegraph on Monday, Lee Castleton, one of the sub-postmasters wrongly convicted, said he “would be nervous” about Mr Bates’ appearance at the inquiry if he was a former Post Office executive such as Ms Vennells.

Mr Castleton told The Telegraph: “In a way, tomorrow could be bigger than the 2019 High Court case, because it’s the start of a new reckoning.

“It used to be Alan Bates vs the Post Office, but now it’s Alan Bates vs the individuals, like Paula Vennells. I am absolutely sure that these stages five and six are the most important, because people who don’t want to speak are finally going to have to.”

It is not known whether Mr Bates will refer to Ms Vennells specifically in his evidence.

Post Office lawyers lost a landmark court case against Mr Bates and 555 sub-postmasters in 2019 when Mr Justice Fraser ruled in favour of the former sub-postmasters.

The postmasters claimed Horizon was faulty and to blame for the financial discrepancies, while the Post Office said this was not possible.

Two people have already been interviewed under caution by the Metropolitan Police in relation to the scandal. The force is an interested party to the public inquiry and is monitoring and gathering the evidence it hears.

A Met Police spokesman said: “We began an investigation in January 2020 into matters concerning Fujitsu Horizon and the Post Office following a referral from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“The investigation is ongoing into potential offences of perjury and perverting the course of justice. These potential offences arise out of investigations and prosecutions carried out by the Post Office.

“We are also investigating potential fraud offences arising out of these prosecutions, for example monies recovered from sub-postmasters as a result of prosecutions or civil actions.”

A Post Office spokesman said: “We remain fully focused on supporting the statutory public inquiry, which is chaired by a judge with the power to question witnesses under oath, and is therefore best placed to get to the truth of what happened.”

In a statement previously released by her lawyers, Ms Vennells said: “I am truly sorry for the devastation caused to the sub-postmasters and their families, whose lives were torn apart by being wrongly accused and wrongly prosecuted as a result of the Horizon system.

“I now intend to continue to focus on assisting the inquiry and will not make any further public comment until it has concluded.”