Post Office scandal investigators accused of ‘Mafia-style’ bullying of subpostmasters

A former Post Office investigator has told the public inquiry into the Horizon scandal that he and his colleagues did not "behave like mafia gangsters".
Stephen Bradshaw admitted he had been aware of problems with the IT software, but claimed he was "not technically minded" and was just "a liaison".
Warning: This report contains some offensive language

[@bryanfish7303]

He seems to think the fact he signed a witness statement that wasn't his own means he is not at fault. Baffling.

[@dogpound7162]

If he signed it then it was his own really, he put his name to it, the man is a lying thug responsible for scaring folk into confessing to things they hadn't done, he should be dealt with severely and given a custodial sentence.

[@nummulite99]

He’s basically a thug.

[@apiscator444]

Pergered himself

[@petersmith5811]

😂

[@davidspear9790]

I don't know who he thinks he's trying to kid. As a criminal investigator, he should know full well that you should never sign a preprepared statement.

[@josephhoward3558]

The PO legal team is also complicit in this scam and should all be brought to justice along with all the other vile scumbags.

[@lindacraig7486]

Vile scumbags. Well said my friend.

[@Kevin-lf4xx]

These investigators should be prosecuted.

[@samrowbotham8914]

All those involved should be prosecuted in the Crown Courts and if found guilty of the charges of misfeasance in public office should go to jail for a long time.

[@adrianlloyd6403]

Nice idea but i won't hold my breath about people being found culpable, or accountable, for their actions in this scandal and end up doing jail time.

[@PALWE]

BASTARDS AND SYMPTOMATIC OF A ROTTEN GPO CULTURE THAT EXISTS TODAY IN ALL EX GPO ORGANISATIONS.

[@richmondene0413]

its indemic for them to protect each others backs..

[@adrianlloyd6403]

@@richmondene0413 True but if they knowingly perjure themselves in witness statements and testimony, to protect others and protect a business's reputation, then they have to face the consequences.....especially if it led to innocent people being convicted of criminal offences.

[@PCDelorian]

@@richmondene0413 That's why examples need to be made. Nobody is above the law and whether its for a street gang or a corporation, law-breaking is law-breaking and it needs to be prosecuted accordingly.

[@stephenbarrett8000]

This has to culminate in criminal prosecutions. Anything less will be unacceptable to the victims I'm sure.

[@griffongirl8]

And also to the general public....all those executives giving themselves massive bonuses on the back of these poor postmasters makes me sick.

[@saraswatkin9226]

​@@griffongirl8same thing is happening with banks, false accounting and fake documents to repossess peoples properties and businesses!

[@travelwell6049]

It doesn’t seem to be something that happens in this country. They’ll do something wishy washy and then tell the media to shut up about it.

[@webstarr4542]

Capital punishment

[@GrinerB]

It would actually be insane if the completely fabricated theft that caused hundreds of sub-postmasters to go jail didn’t result in the many people aware of the details didn’t also have to go to jail. Thousands of people were forced to pay money for theft they didn’t commit and there were people aware of this and quite literally profiting from this theft

[@vulgar_scabby_beaver]

of course, the money paid "back" was registered as profit and bonuses will have been paid based on this "extra" money that never was missing in the first place.

[@Anon-xd3cf]

It is happening STILL. The same system is still in place.

[@billybob-jp7eh]

W💩nkers.

[@PALWE]

BASTARDS AND SYMPTOMATIC OF A ROTTEN GPO CULTURE THAT EXISTS TODAY IN ALL EX GPO ORGANISATIONS.

[@PALWE]

BASTARDS AND SYMPTOMATIC OF A ROTTEN GPO CULTURE THAT EXISTS TODAY IN ALL EX GPO ORGANISATIONS.

[@junestone1148]

I am appalled by the UK Post Office in creating this whole nightmare for their sub-post masters. The level of treachery to save face, careers and bonuses by the senior management of PO, the lawyer, investigators, Fujitsu and government is astounding. They are wicked, wicked people. No amount of compensation will relieve the pain these individuals and their families have suffered.

[@therealrobertbirchall]

The post office scandal just reflects the political culture in the UK, corruption, lies and cover-ups are the way they get rich and get away with it. They covered up Jimmy Savile and Peter Mandelson's close friendship with convicted paedophile Epstine.

[@andybrice2711]

It's quite fascinating and disheartening that this scandal jointly involves the public sector, the private sector, and all three main political parties.

[@andysedgley]

Let's not forget that the National Federation of Subpostmasters, nominally there as a Trade Union, (but forbidden from using that name due to the fact that they were funded by the taxpayer through Post Office money) cosied up to the PO and threw their members under the bus. Then Gen Sec George Thomson, who backed the PO to the hilt, fled the fallout and now runs a comfortable PO/shop in Tranent, Edinburgh. There's a surprise.

[@donnaharris8097]

CORPORATE GREED...

[@gwyneth7812]

@@therealrobertbirchall Yes, former police and crime commissioner, Anthony Stansfeld who jailed two bankers sent me a report wherein he wrote 'Fraud is seen as a safe way to make money'

[@martinwyke]

He's essentially confessed to perjury by signing a statement he did write or understand. That amounts to perverting the course of justice.

[@vinoddamji5729]

So many with impeccable records having run their Post Offices honestly for many years all decided that they would turn rogue after horizon was installed. Nobody bothered to find out why or was it that rather than admit their failures risked and ruined others reputations for their own selfish purpose.

[@griffongirl8]

or indeed, what they did with the money they 'stole'.

[@bigbarry8343]

there are approximatey 7K PMs, so it would amount to about 1 in 10 of offices enmeshed in this scandal.

[@mukeshjobanputra6721]

@bigbarry8343 there were 700 criminal prosecuted, there were also another 500 who were spared by having paid the po the alleged shortage.

[@billellis5502]

Perverting the course of justice, by knowing signing a streatment that put people in jail. Surly a criminal offence. He acted as the judge in all his cases only to please him managers and allegedly for higher bonus....is this a fact

[@susanbishop5228]

All his investigations must be reviewed. He has no knowledge of law

[@berniethekiwidragon4382]

He should serve time for each and every false witness statement he made.

[@Anon-xd3cf]

How many other people have been forced to sign NDAs to cover up crimes?

[@susanbishop5228]

No nda can stop reporting crimes

[@Liverpoolboy01]

The many that said “I don’t recall “ ?

[@andyv123]

The PostOffice should have been the one testing the horizon software and signing it off as fit and proper for use, the PostOffice should have communicated with Fujitsu if they were having problems and Fujitsu should have investigated with PostOffice to determine if there was a problem. If Fujitsu was negligent in any part of that process they should compensate. However if PostOffice signed off the software, didn’t raise a problem with Fujitsu, didn’t escalate or investigate the problem themselves, then this is the fault of the PostOffice. My understanding is the PostOffice knew there was a problem but because it made them more money they just kept quiet and punished the little guy

[@kurt479]

Lol, sorry but thats far too sensible

[@TheAftermath1987]

As an application engineer this sounds entirely logical.

[@SNAFUferret]

Definitely no conflict of interest in Rishi's Sec of State for Education being married to the UK CEO of Fujitsu. 😂 Quite a pattern developing of senior Tories being married to CEOs of problematic businesses. Problematic for decent people that is. Not the troughers obvs.

[@Wigwamwish]

Never marry a Tory

[@tomben6180]

@@WigwamwishThe MP interviewed here who helped massively in fighting for justice was a Tory. Stop point scoring, this is cross-party and transcends political opinion. It’s corruption by a public company and a private company, it also went on over two different parties being in government, so it isn’t tied to a political ideology.

[@RUHappyATM]

If you wrongfully send someone to prison you need to pay the price for your mistake.

[@Rockandrolladventure]

*deliberately. While intentionally stealing from them.

[@Lenny2Lux]

Returning a CBE isn't enough - how about making people return the pay and bonuses that they've gotten in return for their criminal actions.

[@TheWebstaff]

Still not enough, compensation and prison! Anything less it's beyond the pale and scandalous!!!

[@geezerbutler4582]

Is knowingly signing a witness statement you know to be untrue a criminal act? Asking for a friend

[@avakholwadia1420]

If you sign a witness statement you are responsible. The argument that someone gave me the statement to sign does not exempt you from criminal prosecution.

[@simonjess8471]

@@avakholwadia1420 It is also totally embarrassing!

[@avakholwadia1420]

@@simonjess8471 I would call it suicide because he signed a legal document that can incriminate him.

[@luminousfractal420]

A lil

[@deananthony1000]

Depends if he can prove it was under duress and he was in fear of his job. But that would mean grassing on his bosses.

[@CatholicSatan]

Fujitsu: "Lessons will be learned, lessons will be learned!" Dear oh dear... how _often_ have we heard that trope trotted out by the powerful? And yet it's said time after time after time.

[@lindacraig7486]

How right you are.

[@nikolaslarson6891]

It's easy to start blaming Fujitsu but what about the Post Office itself???

[@4as856]

Do you know that post office is owned by government. How can they find themself at fault?

[@Nunn_the_wiser]

How can it be allowed that solicitors write a witness statement! That should never be allowed

[@brunopetit9538]

To be honest that is not particularly unusual. What you cannot do is sign it and then say what Bradshaw did and then try to distance yourself from it. The moment you sign it, it is yours. Simple as!

[@TheSapphire51]

And the criminal lawyers knew that. He was an ignorant a d obnoxious stooge. Hold the lawyers responsible for their actions. Bunch of liars.

[@Liverpoolboy01]

Hillsborough, Police where told to change statements. Nothing happened to them! I want Post Office and Fujitsu to pay for the Public Enquiry!

[@timduck8506]

Paula Vennels and other CEO's should be held to account and taken to court for fraud and Blackmail, Extortion and misleading the court system.

[@nannieg7622]

All spoken under oath as well !

[@indridcold2872]

Paula Vennels was a priest on top of that!

[@suzimonkey345]

😡🤬😡 These people were paid £££ MILLIONS £££ of taxpayers money! They were paid HUGE bonuses, while doing this! They need to pay back ALL of the money & pensions that they FRAUDULENTLY took! 😡🤬😡

[@user-pq9qi3jp5m]

Surely when the numbers went up to 700 somebody with half a brain would have looked at it and thought somethings not right here.

[@lindacraig7486]

You'd think!

[@anubizz3]

Once they start prosecuting 100 they know it become cover up mission.

[@geeianna7708]

Funny this. Private Eye has been covering this scandal since 2010. Nobody was listening or cared

[@franc9111]

Absolutely right. Ian Hislop hasn't kept quiet about it on the media either.

[@berniethekiwidragon4382]

Alas, this is the first time I've heard about it. Why wasn't more noise made in the media about it earlier?

[@flinchus]

​@@berniethekiwidragon4382there was a BBC panorama show on it in 2015. This has been in the news for a decade, how tf have you missed this?

[@berniethekiwidragon4382]

@@flinchus I don't watch regular TV.

[@glasgowmcglasgowfacevotegr7049]

It’s amazing isn’t it. I do actually remember hearing about this in around 2015/16, but what I hadn’t grasped then was the sheer scale of people going to prison or how egregious it was in terms of the SPM having no fault at all. I seem to remember earlier on through the media that it was presented as more nuanced than that/not quite black and white.

[@TesterAnimal1]

The Post Office should be wound up, and a completely new company formed in its place. The Post Office was created with extraordinary powers back in Victorian times when mere uppity shopkeepers were not trusted with the country’s money. It should be just a publicly owned company under normal law.

[@wilsonmanch6773]

Lessons are never learnt if no one go to jail for the mistake.

[@neilmartin1111]

After watching hours of this case unfold and dozens of PO management interviews they all have one thing in common, they were all protecting the horizon system, WHY !!

[@faithsrvtrip8768]

$$$$$$$$

[@andym.6141]

If this was happening in Japan itself Fujitsu & Post Office executives would be individually publicly shamed on live t.v.

[@HollyJordan15]

Indeed, this country is a joke.

[@travelwell6049]

Somehow I’d not been aware of this situation at all. My heart goes out to all of these victims. Well done ITV for raising our awareness and for showing the utter level of destruction to lives, and the shocking level of corruption!

[@Daithai96]

I doubt that anyone involved in these injustices is currently capable of shame. Hopefully, subsequent criminal proceedings will acquaint them with the concept, also that of bankruptcy and humiliation.

[@lindacraig7486]

I wouldnt hold out too much hope.

[@keithburrett]

This inquiry will probably be a complete waste of time everyone will blame everyone else and it’s unlikely that anyone will be prosecuted. It’s should be a criminal investigation.

[@CatholicSatan]

The judge in the trial prior to this inquiry has already referred bunches of people to the public prosecutor.

[@DJWESG1]

They'll get Cameron in to tell us that everthing is much better due to austerity capitalism.

[@maheshg212]

@6:04 This man Lord Arbuthnot is worthy of the title "Lord". He tried helping as much as he could. He is also still humble saying that all politicians including himself have failed.

[@apiscator444]

He committed pergery if he had no knowledge of the Horizon system reliability but still signed a statement saying it was.

[@nannieg7622]

And swore on the bible ‘to tell the truth’

[@stevegregson4357]

Forget all the niceties it’s clear cut criminal behaviour full stop

[@robertainsworth7276]

The biggest problem that I see is the post office knew the truth. Although telling everyone "you are the only one" they knw there were hundreds of subpostmasters going through this. The confidence in the govenment has suffered a severe blow. Because people know, if they do this to them, none of us are safe. Heads need to roll. Top post office personal need to suffer the consquences of their lies. The victims need to be compensated to the highest degree. I for one, will never buy another procuct of Fujitsu in any capacity. Thank you ITV for making this series.

[@gorgu08]

This Bate’s guy needs to be put into the Lords as a subject matter expert on public office fraud and corporate corruption as well as human rights…

[@kinorspielmann4649]

He's a liar, a bully, a thug.

[@theobserver2309]

The injustice and suffering will never cease to bring a tear to my eye. Damn, I am so VERY angry about this.

[@christopherbriscoe8665]

"Gangster tactics" or even "gangsters" themselves is a very apt term since what they were doing is nothing less than extortion. Fujitsu didn't just take away money from individuals under false-premises but even incentivised it. What the Post Office and Fujitsu were accusing and prosecuting these sub-Postmasers for suchbas embezzlement and extortion, THEY WERE DOUNG THOSE CRIMES THEMSELVES.

[@alantheinquirer7658]

The P.O. is guilty of accepting that the computer error was not an error. Money wasn't missing at all but the computer said it was. There was NO money missing. So think of all those victims, under threat of prosecution, who gave money to the Post Office. The Post Office stole that money.

[@luck484]

Seems like Post Office and Fujitsu deceived themselves, which is easy to do. And so very painful to realize.

[@dragonflysdiscoveries7567]

Unbelievable, you scratch my back . . . so corrupt, but the sad truth is, they will get away with it

[@Dude-etiquette]

Those investigators should go to jail, just like what they recommended to the people they “investigated”

[@stevelewis7100]

send him to jail

[@andrewpaterson5192]

I look forward to watching the inquiry counsel grill every judge that allowed an unsafe conviction. I expect to see the legal system exposed for the inconpetency of these judges too. Whu should they be allowed to run for cover. The egregious abuse of the rules of evidence and the rules of disclosure going on for years , by many judges , has brought the whole system into disrepute. Let the inquiry publish a list of the judges invloved. And make them squirm in the public gaze too.

[@TheSapphire51]

Couldn't agree more, lazy bastards who would not look at the evidence and believe the lying corporate lawyers.A den of thieves.

[@user-rt2ri5ft5v]

We should prepare ourselves for a whitewash.

[@YYTT-wd5qq]

Contracted IT company is likely a data processor, which this means is Fujitsu probably don’t have permission to release data unless Post Office allowed it. 😂

[@TheSuzberry]

This is a shame for the British legal system and all the British people.

[@dufus7396]

The Post Office was a enitity of Govt that provided esseintial mail services under royal warrent (the royal mail service) and was a social hub in community. Somehow along the way govt privatised it into a shareholder based model corperation shifting its onus to share returns...that is the root cause.Its now called Post "Shop" and all those small Post Offices that were pivitol hubs in small villages,outlying poorer suburbs etc are gone..deemed as non profitable. The same thing happened in Australia and New Zealand..and continues..but Post "Corp" STILL RETAIN AS A PROTECTED MONOPOLY PROVIDOR ......Corruption

[@skayizon]

Why is it that Lee Castleton, when found guilty, was told he was liable for the £26000(?) and the legal cost of over £300000, yet when the Post office was eventually found to be wrong and paid out the £58million, the victims had to cover the legal cost from the payout?

[@robbo3353]

listening to this man, I feel he would have revelled in the power he had over these poor isolated sub postmasters

[@scootjohn777]

I want to know how Fujitsu gained any government IT contracts after they were responsible for the failed 10bn NHS computerisation that was scrapped. This corruption goes much higher than just the post office.

[@griffongirl8]

And a large number of new contracts with Fujitsu have been under Rishi Sunak's government...makes you wonder?

[@searleflesher6689]

The more I hear about this the more disgusting I get these statements should have been flagged up people must be held accountable

[@blose4793]

Any normal person will raise questions why so many postmasters were corrupt.

[@Markinlondon]

Prison I want to see custodial sentences for this outrageous crime

[@YYTT-wd5qq]

The true story is, every company is like this, almost every CEO is like this.

[@TheWebstaff]

If they are breaking the law then they too should be going to jail. This is literally why the world uses British courts for their fair application of the law. It's time we show the world exactly what that means. It's time big business stood in the dock and answered for its crimes against humanity.

[@tomben6180]

This type of ignorant stereotypes doesn’t help.

[@nasrathashemi]

How they are going to pay the ones who lost thier lives 😓😓😓.

[@pastyman001]

11 Years ago, being told to say a witness statement that was obvious nonsense is not good enough. Him and his men should be prosecuted. They told people over and over that they were the only ones with a problem, which was an obvious lie.

[@SushiGoLarge]

Fujitsu had a fault, but post office pretended that their was none saying to sub postmasters its only them. Its the post office which have sabotaged everything and caused this mess.

[@ianmilleris]

One point that hasn’t been raised: Were there also mass discrepancies at the main branches?

[@fireskycam9889]

They need to draw a picture of Jason Beer riding a horse with sword in one hand and a shield with the St George's Cross on it in the other as he is riding towards the Post Office Headquarters and yelling "CHARGE".

[@cupguin]

Anyone else notice that this inquiry has been going for months and the only footage anyone has to air all comes from after the ITV drama? If there's that big a gap in media coverage about a scandal this big imagine how many other scandals you aren't hearing about.

[@_Ben4810]

Steve Bradshaw....a modern day Matthew Hopkins - Witch Finder General....

[@geezerbutler4582]

Looks like government was more interested in supporting ICL/Fujitsu and the value of the post office as an agent of government plus possible privatisation proceeds. Getting a load of small guys to pay the price and take the blame was just a drive by casualty of that greater set of priorities …

[@stevethered5506]

"Committed to providing the fullest and most transparent information so the key lessons are leant for the FUTURE"... Fujitsu should never again be allowed to be anywhere near the post office and any other British organisation!!!

[@green-user8348]

I don't think I will buy a Fijutsu machine again. Also, damn, I was hiking in England in 2021 and found your postal service so bad that I truly wondered who on earth was running the great English post?

[@Ghengiskhansmum]

Giving public departments the right to decide the law and to prosecute people is the problem. All government departments should use the actual British law courts and not their own version of the law.

[@LIONHEARTED20]

Seems way deeper and so much more involved than just the lady that gives her award back , how any mp in the House of Parliament saying they know nothing about this is absolutely mind boggling , right up to the pm

[@yetidodger6650]

Fujitsu have donated millions to the tories.....go figure.

[@nannieg7622]

Yes because Mrs Keegan was education secretary at the time and her husband was some big wig at Fujitsu

[@user-vx5sr4fn5h]

He’s leading him with his hands….what a liar 😂

[@ejc636]

Can guarantee that nobody from the P.O. or Fujitsu will ever see a prision cell. The government will see to that to save their own skins

[@berniethekiwidragon4382]

One word hasn't been used in this video: Extortion.

[@dogpound7162]

Yes, wouldn't it be fantastic if the law was applied equally, without fear or favour.....unfortunately, we all know different, all they ever say is wait for the decisions of the courts, just means let it fade away and us 'goldfish' will move on to the next big thing and forget all about it! how many times in the past have we hoped for dogs like this to be sent to prison... IT NEVER HAPPENS!

[@chriswright3179]

Tremendous directness and honesty from Lord Arbuthnot. Would that we could hear the same from the Conservative party today.

[@lindacraig7486]

Yes, but the Lord Arbuthnott's of this world are few and far.

[@chriswright3179]

@@lindacraig7486 Exactly. Almost from another era. I remember Profumo. You were caught out, so you go. Nowadays who would be left?

[@beastylad7418]

I think he knows he’s going down eventually’ And he’s not the only one’ sleep tight. 😂

[@fjkelley4774]

Given that all of the information was available for years, how soon after the ITV drama did the Post Office realize things would go completely off the rails? Or would they have thought that drama would matter no more than previous investigations had?

[@stevegregson4357]

They were happy for innocents to go to jail now it has to be all their turn

[@stevegregson4357]

Mr MP what did you do??????? Nothing

[@rogersmith1736]

post office SHAREHOLDERS must pay NOT tax payers otherwise there will be a public uproar the post office heads must roll and face prosecution and fined accordingly and imprisoment

[@deananthony1000]

There’s only one shareholder. The government !!!!!

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Only one scoufin shareholder But ONE shareholder..... One share H O L D E r One shareholder......

[@not_ever]

The royal mail was privatised but the post office is a separate entity. The government owns the post office. Fujitsu should be paying the bulk of the compensation imo.

[@PaulK-ve1pu]

Blimey! Every time you switch on the telly, there's new revelations about this. Now, it turns out that the money stolen from postmasters helped fund Post Office executive bonuses. I swear, next time I switch on, we'll find out they've been operating out of a Death Star in a galaxy far, far away.

[@stevenharman5056]

Sounds like he was on a power trip ....and never expected to be held to account in public....makes me wonder who pays for his lawyers

[@marieparker3822]

Time for all huge Government contracts with Fujitsu to be rescinded?

[@TheSapphire51]

Corporate lawyers need to be investigated and not only in the Post Office.

[@enkisdaughter4795]

Who told the people at Fujitsu to alter the records? Surely that in itself is criminal.

[@gelbsucht947]

Let’s see a one-way flow of money in the opposite direction from Fujitsu and the PO to the people who were made destitute by their actions and a few prison sentences for those who perverted the course of justice.

[@s6edge706]

Perfect example showing the dangers of AI, whereby "the computers always right"

[@battles423]

American here….So is the postoffice in the UK the same as in America. United States Postal Service which delivers mail, magazines, and packages.

[@not_ever]

They also have banking and other financial services

[@geezerbutler4582]

No the delivery part is Royal Mail. The Post Office is like a US Mom and Pop store that provide a franchised branded service selling postage stamps, driving license applications, passport applications and loads of other government and postal services. A lot of cash over the counter and local book keeping work. What’s truly scandalous about this is the government and post office management denying they were making these Mom and Pop businesses carry the can for a faulty IT system. Add on the IT supplier was in serious trouble as a viable business and does a lot of UK government work. They got taken over by Fujitsu and were talking about pulling out of this business back in the day.

[@Ayztv]

Don’t forget postal orders! Prisoners need to be paid!

[@battles423]

@@geezerbutler4582 Wow….. so the UK government use subcontractor to provide government services. The Tory are as corrupt as the Republicans are in America.

[@dufus7396]

Very similar..in that both are quasi govt entities ..more so in USA

[@mariemacisaac7529]

This is like the DOLLAR store in CANADA forcing employees to sign FALSE confessions

[@dijellicoe3185]

Not everyone affected will receive compensation. Some postmasters used their own money to cover the ‘shortfalls’ until they realised they could no longer afford to do so and had to close or retired. Once their PO closed they longer had access to the accounts/paper work so cannot prove their losses. The more I learn about this the more heartbreaking it is. There is also an impact to family members so it’s generational. How do you quantify the full cost. It’s a butterfly affect. Untold misery here. I hope that the PO is stripped of their powers to prosecute in the future. If these cases had been handled by the police they wouldn’t have been treated as badly as the abuses the PO subjected them to; being denied basic human rights as well as legal representation. Appalling.

[@andysedgley]

The National Federation of Subpostmasters, which is supposed to represent the interests of these people, is complicit in this. Then Gen Sec George Thomson said as late as 2016 that there was nothing wrong with Horizon. Apart from taxpayer compensation, those involved in the cover up must be held accountable, otherwise no lessons will be learned.

[@bikeanddogtrips]

Interesting extra that I was told a while back. Years ago when Royal Mail and the Post Office were joined there was a main distribution centre in Liverpool - cooperas hill. Anyway every tuesday there was a distribution of money to the bank of england in castle street - and from there every post office would be sent the required amount to cover pensions for that week (back when people would go and colelct their pension cash). Anyway this process went on for maybe 25 to 30 years. Large palettes with bags of cash would be wheeled out of a secure area at cooperas hill to the security vans for transport and had to pass through a heavy security door. The door was held open by the same heavy sack for decades. Now from what I recall one time a palette got caught on this sack and tore it open and it was full of cash - maybe 30 to 40 000 ££. It has never been missed or queried over the 25 to 30 years as it was a government regulated business. It was just this huge sack of money being used as a door stop.

[@gautamdhillon6507]

Watching this and the Commons Select committee, there is a deep cultural issue with the Post Office. It appears that there is a lot of “tefloning and sloppy shoulders” and this is from the senior leadership.

[@griffongirl8]

It's beyond my belief that the PO didn't have to prove that the postmasters did, in fact, have the money. Surely they would queried what these people did with their ill-gotten gains - new cars, overseas trips? I can't imagine what it was like for innocent people to be confronted by this bully, no wonder they were afraid.

[@MRJERRYCURTIN]

What a horrid specimen he is putting innocent people in prison

[@hariowen3840]

He's spreading it so wide as if trying to ensure no one is ever personally able to be held in any way responsible for anything. Typical corporate defence tactic.

[@stephencope7178]

My son was trained up on the Horizon System when first introduced. At that time, he tells me that it was o.k. . .maybe the cost of a postage stamp required to balance the books. It appears that a probable upgrade of software created the trouble. My son left before the system was corrupted.

[@Melody-st4df]

Recompense & ACCOUNTABILITY = The Post Office Horizon Fujitsu Michael Keegan Gillian Keegan Nick Reed Paula Vennells Angela Van Bogerd Adam Crozier Alice Perkins Centerprise NOT from the Public Purse!!!

[@grantwallace1882]

It appears this thug has a problem with listening.

[@continental_drift]

Will the Post Office get a bill for housing and feeding those people falsely imprisoned?

[@ivanconnolly7332]

His victims are "sleeping with the fishes".

[@TheWebstaff]

If anyone currently working at Fujitsu trys to block any investigations straight to jail. And if Japan trys to stop the investigation from happening we needs to have serious conversations with them about how serious that position that is too take for them.

[@MozD]

This seems like there are a lot of very active PO contracted lawyers here who operated like they have impunity to prosecution with a few dummies in front to take the down fall.

[@trevorevans3956]

There must of been a culture of fear, why were the postmaster's using their own money to cover losses. Why didn't they involve the police when they noticed and couldn't explain why money was missing. We are talking about thousands of pounds.