Original subtitles

ALAN BATES: The computer system Post

is faulty.

I haven't got that money!

The losses must have been caused

You're inside subpostmasters'

We're ready to mount

Mr Rutherford's organisation,

will be working for us, the MPs,

They had no right

They destroyed our whole life...

Alan, it's Paula Vennells.

Where do we go from here?

Sorry, Martin, I hit every red

You get later every day.

You don't get no more cheerful, pal.

Just need to get home.

They're all long days.

Any specials with these?

Giro pouch. Cheque pouch.

I'll have to come back for them.

WEARILY: Oh.

MEN SHOUT,

AGGRESSIVE SHOUTING

MARTIN YELLS IN PAIN

Please! No... don't...!

Don't!

MUFFLED SHOUTS

Stay there! Don't look at me!

YELLING CONTINUES

Come on, hurry up!

Please!

Go, go, go, go!

MARTIN YELLS

HE YELPS AND GASPS

Martin, let's talk about

The total loss to Post Office funds

The police were there

They got most of it back.

This is a culpability interview,

You had the parcel hatch open

In accordance with section 12,

of the subpostmasters' contract...

..you're bound to take

to safeguard official cash

DOOR CLOSES

You are therefore contractually

Seven and a half thousand pounds?

So now the armed robbery

It wasn't the robbery

Sacked? What?

I'm already under investigation

and now the robbery.

Three months' notice.

Oh, Martin.

For four years of, every day,

For what?

For the day to end.

"Terminated for continued

"not operating individual

' "Failure to make good losses

'They're just going on'

and on about the contract

never accepting

How big did the shortfalls get?

£61,000 altogether.

'They've had our savings already.

'And our parents'.'

Alan, we've nothing left to give.

OK.

JO: Every time we meet,

There's the vegetarian ones...

..and we're always ravenous.

Have we eaten Alan?

That phone is a full-time job.

LEE: And the effect it had

I mean, not just me and Lisa,

I mean, we had to move

cos of the bullying.

And then our daughter,

..just stopped eating.

It was anorexia.

And they say don't blame yourselves.

Yeah, of course you do.

Jo's always been very kind to us,

We call her, "Mum".

If she's Mum, what's Alan?

CHUCKLING: We don't call him Dad.

Alan's the godfather.

Shall we, eh, crack on?

Yep. The Don has spoken.

You all right?

The thing is, Alan, I'm not sure

I just had endless power cuts.

36 of them in one day.

If you get a power cut in the

No wonder it comes out wrong.

You see, erm, my husband died...

and I took over.

It was just before

But then they didn't put the new

Oh, Pam. Really?

Doesn't it just go to show

they can be about

I told them

.."If you can prove

"then send the police round,

Since then, I have not slept.

And I've been scared

expecting that knock on the door.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

You've got nothing to

I'm just so... I'm just so angry.

I hate being so angry!

If I ever say

remind me about people like Pam.

So, to, er, to recap, er,

my chat with Paula Vennells has

and mediation scheme which

for the compensation we deserve.

Even people like me and Jo?

Alan's got their commitment here

The Post Office says

through the mediation scheme,

even if you've already received

or been subject to a criminal

If we got our money back.

And our good names.

An apology, even.

Steady on.

So, with your agreement,

Kay and I will defend your interests

We will look into each individual

I know, but, Alan,

I mean, do we trust them? Really?

Well...

..they're putting money

and it's coming from the top, so...

Well, it's got to be worth a try.

Shall we have a vote?

All those in favour?

Great.

42 pence change.

Book of six first-class stamps,

£3.60.

LOUDER: £3.60.

GINA: 'For a long time,

'of stealing from the tills.

'The bad feeling

'But if it wasn't them,

'like he's stupid, which he isn't.'

That was before - before we knew

Can I talk to him?

'Well, he won't talk to me

It drives me mad.

I know he's got depression.

He's a proud father, and I think

'Failed our family.'

Gina...

put him on.

Love.

It's Alan Bates.

He wants to talk to you.

Please, Martin.

Martin?

'Yes.'

Listen. Martin...

you're not alone.

There's a lot of us, and...

'there's a new scheme

'I'm going to send you the forms.

'Martin, you might get

Erm...

AGITATED: ..I can't talk to you

Ma...

People are trying to help here!

'I'm so sorry. Erm...'

He's just... He's...

I'll send you the forms,

It's important.

I'll try.

Bloody traffic.

Hi.

I'm a little late for a meeting

Bob. Good to see you.

Susan's left us.

Why?

New times, new opportunities.

Moving forward,

'This is Susan Crichton.

'Thank you for NOT leaving

Bob...

..we need to talk.

'I'm not bloody signing up

The Post Office want me to stay on,

They've unilaterally taken away

the legal and prosecution files.

I can't investigate in a blindfold

Alan, professionally,

Bob, grit your teeth.

We can't do this without you.

I don't know

You do know why.

because we can't afford to go

You're an idiot to trust them, Alan.

I think they're mostly

And I think they're wasting

Bob, if you walk away now,

you'll never find out

what they knew and when.

And you'll never find out what

BOB CHUCKLES

We must both be mad.

We are. Pint?

GINA: Big day tomorrow.

Your appeal against dismissal.

Martin.

Why don't I run you a bath?

I'm all right. I'm OK, I'm OK.

Please let me wash these clothes,

Don't you wanna wash your hair,

For tomorrow!

NERVOUSLY: It's a big day.

All I'm saying is...

..we could just make a little bit

Gina, leave me alone, please.

OK.

'We've been over this.'

A parcel hatch is about that big.

Then you've got a sack of mail,

You know how big

Once they were in with weapons,

what would you do if they threatened

ON RADIO: I hope you're having

The time is now coming up to 6:20AM,

and it's time

It looks like there's congestion

and it's building up

Martin?

You're off early, love.

RADIO CONTINUES

Sorry.

Morning.

We don't know.

It's not working.

It's...

Can we have a word in private?

ALAN ON PHONE: Yes.

OK.

No, I...

Hmm. Of course.

Thanks for letting me know.

He never regained consciousness.

God.

Gina's had to agree

Oh, Alan!

Blood on their hands now.

He had kids, Lee.

I know.

I expect he thought

Are you doing it, ever?

No. Not really.

GASPS

Sorry. SOBS: Sorry.

..think about it. I'm sorry.

Don't you...

I can't have you feeling bad about

I'd have just walked away.

I could have just shut the shop.

Just put us on a slow boat

And they'd have chased us all the

They were never going to let go.

Hey.

I know you did it for us.

GINA: I can't think straight.

I don't know what to do.

It's really very good of you

We're all so sorry for your loss.

It was four days

and he still hadn't told the staff

Yes, it's very hard.

And his appeal

against being fined for the robbery,

They didn't decide one way

Stressful.

Obviously.

I used to get so cross with him,

I never did understand the problem,

and he couldn't explain it,

and saying he was desperate.

He was really desperate.

Every morning, the same words.

"I hate it."

"I can't bear it."

For years.

Can you imagine?

We, er...

..we're going to do right by you,

You can rely on us.

Yeah.

ANGELA: So, as we launch

I can confirm our agreement

that Martin Griffiths' case

as a priority by this working group.

Now, you've also received

that any approaches to Gina

Yes. Yes, we are happy

Shall we declare this mediation

We have a long list

So let's get started.

Right, then, start with Martin.

First things first...

Mr Griffiths.

INTERVIEWER ON RADIO:

'Government subsidy on its way out.

'That means a reckoning

VENNELLS: 'It does, absolutely.'

And the whole point

is to make sure we have models

'And my ambition would be...'

'..that within three to four

..the Post Office doesn't need

to support those post offices

'So, Paula,

'you're CEO of the Post Office...'

'..but you're also a priest

'How do you combine

Very good, thank you.

Good to see you.

Just one thing.

Anything in it?

Horizon.

Well, er...

Well, after two and a half years

it is now clear

and works as it should.

Thank you.

'And God said to Solomon...'

"Ask for whatever

And Solomon said...

"Give your servant

"to govern your people

"and to distinguish

The Lord was pleased

So God said to him...

"I will do what you have asked.

"I will give you

PAM: I've been preparing for this

You will remember

the ARQ data from your system,

so that I could see

from my till in my branch.

I kept everything, you see.

Now, you told me

I wouldn't be capable

because I was a silly woman

Anyway, may I direct you

Now, you will clearly see

when money alterations

but not by me,

There is no functionality

to remotely access branch terminals.

LAUGHS INCREDULOUSLY

Mrs Stubbs,

at this mediation meeting,

we are under no legal

to do anything whatsoever.

And we are working on the principle

which says that if you lose money,

Well...

I'm finished with this, actually.

I'm finished with you.

See, I think you're lying to me.

Mrs Stubbs, calm...

And I'm going to tell

May I remind you that you have

I'll talk to anyone who will listen,

and I will prove

Mrs Stubbs, this will have

You want to take me to court?

'The way they treat people...

'They are despicable!

'I have never, ever been made

AUDIO BREAKS UP

Pam? Pam?

You're... You're breaking up.

I mean, are they lying

Hello?

For a while there,

..you got close to trusting them,

Maybe...

despite every awful story

despite all the work we've done,

they still don't get it.

They actually believe they're right.

I understand your impatience,

But, Alan, really?

Four closely typed

"Finding the truth is the last thing

Well, that's been our experience

Well, will you at least acknowledge

that, before writing to

it might possibly have been useful

Martin Griffiths is dead.

Yes, I know.

I, too, am concerned

mediation is taking,

I'm sorry, James, but, ha, these

Well, let's just ask Paula

'No, we have not dragged our feet.'

I've had 22 people working on this,

But not a single case finalised.

And now I am told

of their mediation meetings.

Yes, it has taken longer

As chief executive

I could not put this scheme in place

The system... and the people

are too important for that.

Well, at least we can agree

Let's be clear,

of miscarriage of justice.

Our lawyers advise the correct route

for challenges

is via the Criminal Cases

Hold on.

No, you made promises, Paula.

that my constituent, Jo Hamilton,

whom I believe was wrongly convicted

would be eligible for mediation.

Our lawyers advise

has the power to overturn

Paula, this is quite wrong.

You have broken your word to me.

And you have broken your word

You have broken your word

JAMES ARBUTHNOT:

'to Members of Parliament

'It may, of course, be that

'was infiltrated

'I have met a lot of these people,

'Frankly, I no longer trust

'and will not be negotiating

'It has spent public money

'that it has set out to sabotage.'

He says he can get some interest

Oh, not another talking shop.

Personally,

Probably more than Paula.

PAULA VENNELLS: Is it possible to

I hope it is

and that we're able to explain

I need to be able to say,

"and we're sure of this

I need the facts.

That's Paula.

JO: She looks very smart.

Very corporate.

Who's the other one?

Angela van den Bogerd.

The gruesome twosome.

Don't they have any blokes

'I have spent a lot

Yes! Come on, Bob.

..requesting access to documents

One issue we're looking into relates

Now, we first requested

almost two years ago,

and we have still not been provided

Erm, may I respond?

We did provide

that Second Sight requested.

Unfortunately,

were for the wrong year.

That seems to me an amazing error.

Are there any other issues?

Probably most important

to the legal and prosecution files

Paula, why don't you

What's the problem?

The point I want to pick up first,

Answer my question.

Er, it is the first time,

I'm happy to go away

They've been told that

could they be given those files.

Is that right or wrong?

I... I do not recall that, no.

And you can piss right off.

That sounds to me like a shambles.

We are hearing from Bob

that your organisation

to his independent work.

Is that right or wrong?

We have provided,

detailed, thorough,

Let me stop you there.

who is independent,

You are the head

Will you provide the information,

This is the first time that I have

Yes or no?

Will you provide it? Yes or no?

'Give me a simple answer.'

'I am not prepared, on behalf

I think I've got my answer.

No, you have not got your answer.

I am simply saying, at the moment,

I am not able to answer

Honestly,

that you don't seem to know anything

about an issue that is so

I know a huge amount about this.

You are the chief executive,

It does stop with me.

I am not denying at all

Of course there are.

There are problems

But this is about the reputation

SUZANNE: 'What?!'

No, it's not! It's about

Slaughtered her.

Paula's face.

Gina Griffiths has pulled out

Well, that can't be right.

Unless they went to her

What kind of people go back

GINA:

Not, you know, life-changing.

And in return,

I've got nothing coming in, Alan.

I was gonna have to sell the house

I imagine they also got you to sign

promising not to talk to anyone

I shouldn't even be speaking to you.

They rang up, Alan.

If I didn't say yes

I'm sorry.

It's all right, really.

I understand.

Well...

I don't blame you.

When Angela came to see me...

Angela Van den Bogerd came here?

She was nice... I thought. Kind.

Now I don't know about any of them.

We just... cling to a notion,

That people can't be that bad.

PHONE RINGS

ANGELA: 'Alan?'

Hello, Angela.

Oh, good news.

No more reports for Bob to write.

No more need for you

No more working group meetings.

'A new way forward.'

You're closing down

No, no, no. No, no... no.

Not... Not closing it down.

'We're taking it in-house.

'We'll decide each case

Closing it down.

After 18 months,

to speed things along now,

Well, if that's what you want to do.

Right.

Well, good to talk.

'Bye, Alan.'

Goodbye, Angela.

Oh, you sods.

Suzanne?

PHONE RINGS

BOB: I'm calling to tell you

that I'm not allowed

Sacked again, eh? That was quick.

Well, I considered pointing out

to just kick you and me

Well, they're not allowed

or breaking their promises.

But since when

'They are not just dropping us,

'They're rubbing our noses in it.'

They're making us destroy or return

The whole investigation.

'I'm so sorry, Alan.'

Nice knowing you, Bob.

Yeah. Goodbye, Alan.

Cheers.

Love?

Oh, there you are.

They're going ahead -

without anyone fighting.

Did look at paint charts, but...

in the end,

I'll get it done this weekend,

You what?

Yeah, so, erm...

..test came back positive.

Hardly time to catch a cold,

You'll outlive me.

Yeah.

They'll operate.

It'll be fine.

I'll live. I want to live.

I have to.

See some bastards go to prison.

SHE SNIFFS,

I'll put the kettle on.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

Mm. Still here, then?

Tough old bird.

I've, er...

I've been thinking.

No, no.

If we can't find a lawyer

..maybe it's time to call it a day.

You once said to me,

"If I ever start talking

That was then.

Don't you dare give up

Well, I'm not.

..12 years is long enough

to keep banging my head

Don't you dare!

Cos that would mean

meant nothing, too.

OK.

New plan, then.

Oh, well, maybe you could've

What about if we all apply,

to see everything

Horizon logs, investigation reports,

And, er...

I think we've got

SPEECH FADES OUT

JO: You have a lovely day.

And don't dawdle

Are you gonna come in and help?

No, darling, not today.

Bye-bye, Joshua.

Granny Jo loves you.

Bye-bye.

You were only gonna be

Yeah, it's not the school's fault.

They can't let me be alone

when they know

Oh, God.

Come on.

TV PLAYING

SHE GRUNTS

SHE SIGHS

This all right?

It's fine. Love a toast-based meal.

Are you all right?

Yeah.

Never was any good to me, was it,

Never did manage to pop

And, you know...

the life we ended up having...

maybe it's OK

I'm here, sorry.

Oh, I think this might be

Exciting.

Cheers. 'Do they think

'146 pages blacked out.

Can you make any sense

No, I can't tell, it's all black.

But I'll tell you

The memo from my investigator.

The one where he admitted

'The one that proves

Ridiculous.

JAMES ARBUTHNOT: 'The subpostmasters

'as is their right,

'and the Post Office think

'It's simply inexplicable.'

What the Post Office is saying

That there have been

of the Horizon system

since it was introduced in 2001,

and that only 150 people

have applied to the mediation scheme

for events

The Post Office is saying

that the idea that there is

is simply not true.

Well, I would disagree.

These are people who have been

who've had their reputations

who... who've been sent to prison,

and I understand that at least one

And, Mrs Hamilton...

you believe that you have done

I have done nothing wrong.

'I did not take a penny

'but unfortunately,

Excuse me, could you just

'..many of us in the Justice

'didn't receive a copy of,

'the postmaster is contractually

That's great.

'We did ask the Post office

'No-one was available.'

ALAN: 'Alan Bates?'

'Hi, Alan. My name's James Hartley.

'Yeah, I just heard

'I... I think I can help.'

'I always say to lawyers,

'we're fighting a war

'owned by the British government,

'which means they have mighty forces

'and bottomless pockets

While we're just...

JAMES CHUCKLES

Well, I specialise in contract law,

and this contract is...

114 pages of complete rubbish.

I only got the two-page version.

It's out of date.

It even says you're not allowed

Yeah, when we've got

But, you know, we all signed it,

Well, yes, but...

a contract that is not properly

is not necessarily legally binding.

OK.

Look, I think it may be possible

to fight them in court.

There are specialist funders

who are willing to take the risk,

We had 130 applicants

before the Post office destroyed it.

Mm.

Well, how many would you need?

At least 500.

Well... I can do that.

♪ Makin' me feel

♪ Livin' with you

♪ All of the time... ♪

Hello?

MAN: 'Is that Alan Bates?'

Yeah. Who's this?

'I worked at Fujitsu

'I was gonna call you...'

'..but I wanted to make sure you...'

Hang on, hang on.

I'm going to pull over.

Hello?

PHONE RINGS

Sorry, I got cut off.

I... I lost you.

I don't want anyone knowing

Of course. I understand.

But they're lying. That's the point.

They say there's no remote access

but there was a whole room

full of us inside Fujitsu

doing thousands of corrections

on Horizon

Nobody's gonna admit it, obviously.

Are you still there?

Yes! Sorry.

Please, go on.

'We were just constantly

'Coding errors, bugs,

'Horizon was much worse

'It was shocking.

'It was hard-coded and hard-designed

♪ God knows what is hiding

♪ Guess he kissed the girls

♪ Those hard faced queens

♪ People help the people

♪ And if you're homesick

♪ Give me your hand