The computer system Post Office spent an arm and a leg on is faulty.
Oh, my God, it's just doubled right in front of my eyes.
I haven't got that money.
The Horizon system was working properly.
The losses must have been caused by Mr Castleton's own error.
How many other subpostmasters have you found?
Six. Who will go on the record?
I'm thinking set up a meeting, send out invitations,
see if anyone turns up.
The Post Office told us you're the only one.
That was a lie.
From this moment forwards,
none of us will be the only one ever again.
I just think you've made a mistake, Sam.
I know, but they said if I pleaded guilty, I could have the shop back.
How is that ever gonna work?
You'll be a convicted criminal.
Look, I'm your husband, and I have to read about this in the newspaper.
Was on my own in the interview.
I thought I was doing the right thing.
Jas, please. You're an innocent woman.
You should've pleaded not guilty like we agreed.
Come on. We're gonna be late.
ENGINE REVS They'll have started without us.
It was unbelievable.
The lowest day of my life.
Uh, hi.
Uh... sorry we're late.
Um, got a bit lost. Sorry.
Are you... Is this...?
We're all former subpostmasters. Come in. It's OK.
Please, uh... find a seat.
Uh, I'm Jaz Singh.
I'm Sam, from Walsall. Yeah, Walsall.
Well, we're all sharing our stories, er...
I don't know if you want to... WHISPERING: Go on. Go on.
I had no problems till they sent us a new Horizon PIN pad.
They just won't have it that there's something wrong with the thing.
They say I'm piggybacking -
going into the till to pay out a pension with one hand,
and paying myself with the other.
I'm guessing they also said you were the only ones having these problems.
And I'm guessing they said the same
to everyone else in this room, right?
I'm such a fool, I believed them.
I believed them when they said,
"Just confess you took that £5,000, Sam,
"and you'll be back in your shop tomorrow."
You shouldn't have done that.
It was the new PIN pad. It wasn't your fault.
It was.... It wasn't her fault.
Actually, I pleaded guilty too.
So did I.
You did? I can't believe it.
I-I-I thought we were on our own, you know.
Not any more.
I'm a mother. I don't want to go to prison.
Look. We're changing your plea, OK?
Not guilty.
And this time, I'm coming to court with you.
Hey.
Now, if you're thinking of going to court, just be careful.
Well, there are people here who've done time.
We've all lost our businesses and our savings.
The question is, what are we going to do about it?
MPs, neither use nor ornament.
Stop it.
Be nice. At least he's taken the trouble to turn up.
Um... Mrs Hamilton? That's me.
James Arbuthnot.
Thank you for coming.
My pleasure. Do come in.
Jo's mum. Hello.
So, one way or another,
we're all fighting back every way we can.
We're even thinking about suing the Post Office.
I'd like to see you try, with no money.
Well, good job talking to your MP costs absolutely nothing.
Is this homemade? It looks delicious.
Thank you, I will.
We thought maybe you could talk to the government or something.
Yes, indeed.
There are two other cases in my constituency alone.
Wow. Really?
It's very odd, isn't it?
I mean, the Post Office is a national institution.
You think you could trust them to listen to their own people.
Personally, Mr Arbuthnot... James, please.
..I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them.
I'm going to ask around the House,
see how many members are hearing similar stories,
make an approach to Post Office management at the highest level.
I think I feel a campaign coming on.
Oh, that's lovely.
And so my client, Mrs Kaur,
seeks permission to change her plea to not guilty.
This is because she had no solicitor with her
during her interview under caution,
and because there is also a technical issue
which you may consider requires expert evidence
concerning a PIN pad.
I can't see anything here.
Her PIN pad was faulty. Quiet, please.
Very well, Mrs Kaur, I vacate your plea.
How do you now plead?
Not guilty.
Is that him? The so-called trade unionist.
He's got a bloody nerve.
Federation man.
A federation man who calls out of nowhere.
How do we know we can trust him?
We don't.
Michael. Hi, Alan.
Found us, then? Yeah.
Never even heard of Fenny Compton.
MURMURING
All right, everyone, shall we make a start?
Shall we make a start? Thanks.
Right.
So, welcome to the second meeting
of the Justice For Subpostmasters Alliance.
Now, before we get on to our campaign update,
we have a guest who'd like permission to speak.
This is Michael Rudkin, friends,
an executive officer of the National Federation For Subpostmasters.
DISGRUNTLED MURMURING
Not any more.
The federation sent me back my membership fee,
said they wouldn't represent me.
They told me to get a good criminal lawyer.
And that was the last I heard of them.
My so-called union has been in bed with the Post Office for years.
I can either leave by the way I came in
or I can tell you my story.
Up to you, pal.
You think you're the little guys,
facing up to one powerful enemy? You're wrong.
Post Office don't make the computers, do they?
No, they don't... design the kit.
They don't write the software, they don't run the network.
That's Fujitsu.
Multinational corporation. Headquarters in Bracknell.
I've been there. I've seen what they can do.
Two years ago, I got myself an invitation to Fujitsu
to sort out the issue with the foreign exchange stock control
that we were all having problems with.
Er, Michael Rudkin, to see George Delph.
Thanks, mate.
'19th of August 2008.'
Cheers. Thanks, mate. Mr Rudkin.
George Delph, hi.
Hi. Good to meet you. And you.
Welcome to Fujitsu. Cheers.
If you'd like to follow me.
Horizon is the largest IT system in Europe.
We're very proud of that. Outside the military, that is.
Cost a billion pounds.
We've rolled out 40,000 terminals to your members.
So this accounts for all the James Bond stuff, does it?
'All I'm expecting is he'll give me a bit of training I can pass on.'
All right. State-of-the-art everything.
That must be why a lot of my members have been complaining
about your rubbish foreign exchange stock control.
DELPH SCOFFS We can help.
A lot of my members been losing money.
Oh, the bottom line! Me included.
Meet your friendly covert operations team.
I get in there, and this guy sits me down at a Horizon terminal.
So, easiest way to help is if I just show you
how to adjust your stock control manually.
And I said to him, "Is this live?"
Sure. Look at the clock.
So, if I start by adjusting this from sterling to euros.
'And I said to him...'
You're inside some subpostmaster's Horizon,
and he doesn't know.
He said, "yeah".
"Yeah, I am." MURMURING
How else am I gonna show you how to do this?
'And then, right in front of my eyes,
'he starts changing the subpostmaster's figures.'
Excuse me.
I've been telling my members for years
no-one else has access to their branch accounts.
Uh, OK. Well, um...
I'd better put the figures back the way they were, then,
or they won't balance tonight.
'Ladies and gentlemen, you know what this means.'
It means they can sneak in behind your back,
change your figures, bugger off and leave with no trace.
It's remote access.
Well, makes sense.
It's how they send updates and bug-fixes.
No, no. No, the help line. They said that...
They said that was impossible.
They said the branch accounts were totally secure.
That's what they told me.
They lied.
JO: But if they're getting into our accounts
and messing about in there...
Then it's a bit rich for them to claim
that we have 100% responsibility when money goes missing.
Exactly. MURMURS OF AGREEMENT
So, I drive home from Fujitsu.
The next morning, I wake up,
and my wife is stood at the foot of our bed...
and there's an auditor beside her.
"Your Post Office is now £44,000 in deficit," says he.
MURMURING
Coincidence?
Revenge.
My wife ran the Post Office when I was away on federation business.
So, although I was the subpostmaster...
..my poor wife...
..is now a convicted criminal.
MURMURING AND GASPS
You're welcome.
JO: Wait.
Mr Rudkin, thank you.
Thank you.
UNDER BREATH: Yeah, it won't do any good.
AGITATED MURMURS
So they punished him.
They punished him for standing up to 'em.
It's what they did to me.
They knew I had to fight them,
but they knew I didn't stand a chance.
They just did it to teach me a lesson,
to teach everyone in this room a lesson.
That's what we're up against. THAT is what we're up against.
The Post Office are still investigating,
so it's going to take a bit longer than we thought
as it's now 36 charges.
How many? 36 charges.
No, no, no, that's totally wrong.
I've got the indictment right here, Jas.
It's definitely now 36 charges.
But... it was 19.
Where have all these new ones come from?
Sam? I don't know, I don't remember.
And what about this - her shortfall?
It's now 11,000. That's more than doubled.
You're selling everyone stamps with a picture of the Queen on them.
We love the Queen, don't we?
Is she all right? Yeah, yeah. Just...
All these delays, they're doing both our heads in.
Jas, I think we should get a medical report.
When cases go on and on like this, it can be hard for the defendant.
She's fine.
I'll just go and see if they're ready for us.
Everyone's eyes are on me.
It's OK.
PHONE RINGS
JAS: Sam, can you get the phone?
Hello?
Oh, it's Jo.
Gosh, you had me worried there. I'm just checking in on you.
'Are you OK?'
I'm up and down.
Are you getting out at all?
Oh, I can't go out.
Not to the gurdwara, not even to the supermarket.
I see people I know, and sometimes, they look surprised to see me,
and I wonder...
..do they think I've gone to prison already?
Oh, Sam... if I just had the money for a stupid train ticket.
CHUCKLES I wouldn't be much fun for you, Jo.
THUD Oh, God!
Sam, what is it?
It's OK, it's OK. I'm all right, Jo.
It's just the postman.
Every time the door goes...
I think it's them, come to get me.
Oh.
'Oh, you poor thing.'
Yeah, I'd no idea this was happening to other people.
I thought I was the only one.
There were nights I was just sobbing, didn't know what to do,
how to get out of this mess.
It sounds like it was very traumatic for you.
Well, it's not just me that it's traumatic for.
'I just think that the Post Office needs to investigate this.
'There's just got to be something else going on,
'cos it can't be happening to this many people.'
Jo was great. ALAN CHUCKLES
She's a natural.
Yeah, but who's listening?
How concerned are you about these allegations against the Post Office?
'I'm very concerned about this.
'Cases seem to be cropping up all over the country.'
And who knew a Tory MP could be so nice?
'The Post Office have been, I think, pretty hard-nosed
'in the way they've taken the cases to court.'
Trouble is, nobody watches local news.
'And I think their bosses need to think again
'and be more sympathetic.'
PAULA VENNELLS: Be ready.
'There are a tiny number of ex-subpostmasters
'who appear to be making distinct allegations
'with respect to the operation of the Horizon system.'
But in two of the cases,
the individuals have in the past pleaded guilty to false accounting.
I have written back to the Member of Parliament,
making clear that Post Office Limited
does not accept any of the allegations
that are being made
and will robustly defend its position
if any civil action is mounted against it.
ALAN: Freedom of information.
Just when you think you've cracked it,
they come up with a new trick to keep us in the dark.
Listen to this.
You're only allowed a question,
to ask a question,
that will take one person less than 18 hours to research.
I mean, what?
What do you think?
Hey.
Trying to have a life here, Alan.
I...
I just want to be able to... take you on holiday again, Suzanne.
A proper holiday abroad.
Not just... camping.
And still half of Snowdonia waiting to be climbed.
A, the Post Office has taken all our money.
B, my knees are way too old for Snowdon now.
And, C, you can't possibly go on holiday.
You're too busy campaigning, morning, noon and night.
This is all taking too long.
'My next guest is famous for pranking the nation
'with hidden camera comedy shows like Trigger Happy...'
FRONT DOOR OPENS
Hiya. You OK? Sorry I'm late.
SHE GASPS
SHE SHUDDERS
Got held up, so...
It's OK. Sam.
Sammy, what...? What have you...?
Sam!
It's OK.
Sam, what have you done?
Why have you done this? Huh? It's not fair.
Sam, look at me. What...? PHONE BUTTONS BEEP
I had to do something.
'999.' I had to do something.
I need an ambulance, please.
45 Falfield Road, Walsall.
UNDER BREATH: It's not fair. WS2 9WB.
B for Bravo. It's not fair.
I don't want to do it. They're here to help you.
SOBBING: I tried everything. Ssh.
I tried everything, Jas, I tried everything. I know.
I know, it's OK, I'm here.
Hey, can you stop staring at us? Just mind your own business!
Sam, come on. It's OK, Sam.
What's the next one? Candy.
Candy, OK. See if you can find it.
He's doing well. Yeah, he'll be doing the spelling bee soon.
HE CHUCKLES Eh?
KNOCK ON DOOR
Hello. Mr Singh?
Yeah, yeah. Can I have a word?
Yeah. Um, two minutes and then burgers. OK?
NURSE: Hey, how are you doing?
'I want to stress she'll be sedated, she won't feel anything.'
ECT had a lot of bad press at one point,
but we continue to find it very useful in giving relief
to patients as severely depressed as Saman.
And nothing else we've tried has worked, so...
Just don't go home and Google it, Mr Singh.
We'll talk more later. Yeah.
Like you're not gonna Google it.
'I know. It's mad.'
But you know the worst thing, Jo?
If I'd have let her carry on pleading guilty, like she wanted to
in the first place...
all right, yeah, she-she might have gone to prison, but....
..she'd be out by now.
Oh, Jas.
My boy would have a mother.
And Sam would be free.
BEEPING
WOMAN: Treat.
PAULA VENNELLS: The problem is relatively very small.
Very few complaints.
But this is a very serious matter for the Post Office,
whose business rests on our reputation for being trustworthy.
Well, we all represent constituents who tell us
that your helpline is of little value,
that the training you offer is minimal.
Angela is our Head of Network Services.
Thank you. Um...
Well, the helpline and support are there.
Now, whether staff take it up or not, that's another matter.
Mrs Vennells, is the Post Office saying
that Horizon is 100% foolproof?
Because that would make it the first perfect software system
ever implemented by government.
The system is robust.
Gentlemen, we have nothing to hide.
Indeed, we're ready to mount and fund an independent review.
Well, that's marvellous, and I'm sure Mr Bates
and the Justice For Subpostmasters Alliance
will be thrilled to get involved with that.
Bet you've missed me, Susan.
How is life in the sleepy old Post Office? Sleepy?
I wish. High finance misses you, kid.
I'm a proud public servant now.
Well, I'd wager it's not half as much fun as your old life.
Chasing down villains and fraudsters with me.
Susan.
Is that what we're doing here? I don't know.
That's why I hired you.
Ah. Angela Van Den Bogerd is Head of Network Services.
Bob Rutherford from Second Sight. Angela, nice to meet you.
Here to help.
We've pulled a dozen files for you to look at,
all the cases the MPs have been pushing.
Anything else you want, though, we can provide.
Accounts, procedures, backgrounds, I'll draw up a list.
And I'd like to visit Fujitsu in Bracknell.
No problem.
Oh, are you not staying?
Knowing you of old, Bob, I imagine you're itching to get on the road.
Thank you, all.
JO: 'Alan, you can't go and meet him on your own.
'Because how will you know what to ask this investigator?
'And because she's my neighbour, and she's really nice,
'and she wants to help.'
"Kay Linnell, Past Master and Liveryman."
'Kay Linnell, forensic accountant.
'Alan, bite her hand off!'
Alan?
Alan Bates? ALAN CHUCKLES
Kay Linnell, Past Master and Liveryman
of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators.
You've been looking me up.
And Board of the Inland Revenue's former Chief Prosecuting
and Investigating Accountant.
Now, that was a fun job. HE CHUCKLES
Shall we?
May I underline that,
although the Post Office has agreed to fund
this independent investigation,
Mr Rutherford's organisation, Second Sight,
will be working for us, the MPs,
and therefore, indirectly, for you,
Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance.
So...
Alan, Kay, what would you like to know?
Well, I'd like to know
exactly what makes you think you're qualified to do this job.
Well, I'm a forensic accountant of many years' experience.
I don't doubt your paper qualifications, Mr Rutherford.
I have them here in front of me.
But I see nothing to persuade me
that Second Sight is remotely capable
of producing a truly independent report.
One that's ready to bite the hand that feeds you.
Bob Rutherford is a member of the Association
of Certified Fraud Examiners.
He has led hundreds of investigations all over the world
into banking fraud, corruption, rogue traders, subprime mortgages.
Doesn't answer my question.
How can we be sure you will investigate fairly
and independently?
Because the people who suggested me know me of old,
and they want to hire me because they know what I like to do best,
which is to clear innocent people who look guilty.
I still don't see how we can trust him
when he's taking Post Office money.
Well, you can't pay him. Can't pay you either.
I'll help in my spare time.
What I really need is lawyers who'll work for nothing.
KAY CHUCKLES
One day, you'll find your precious lawyers
and we'll get this scandal into court.
But we'll need evidence which mortals like us haven't a hope
of getting our hands on.
But Bob's outfit, Second Sight...
they'll have access to seven years of raw data.
This Bob...
he can't just look at individual cases, though.
He has to look at Horizon as a whole, as a system.
Am I to take it you're happy to support his investigation?
Well, being as it's the only one we've got...
JO: When I first came to the Post Office,
they were introducing chip and PIN, and it never worked properly.
The base unit, the Horizon computer...
whatever you call it,
the thing that sits under the counter,
I thought of it as like an alien thing.
Sometimes, engineers would come from Fujitsu,
with their clever badges on,
and I never had any idea what they were doing.
This is probably a really stupid question, Bob.
There are no such things as stupid questions,
only stupid answers.
That £36,000 I'm supposed to have lost...
..where did it go?
I haven't got it.
So who has?
I don't know...
but I'm going to find out.
MICHAEL RUDKIN: It's a bed-and-breakfast now.
We're private people, Bob.
This was our family home.
But the Post office gave us no option.
No other way of making a living.
Thank you.
Cheers, love.
My wife has had it so much harder than me.
Susan was in charge while I was away on federation business.
She never told me, so I had no idea she was in trouble.
Even though at least half my work in federation
was Horizon-related by then.
I said to her...
.."You've ruined my fucking career.
"You've destroyed our business."
Mr Rudkin, please don't feel obliged to divul... I said...
WEAKLY: I said I'd divorce her.
Now, they punished my wife...
who never stole a penny piece...
just because I got inside Fujitsu
and saw something that I shouldn't have.
LEE: I think what I had was a computer bug.
I think it was called a Callendar Square Bug.
I can't be sure.
But it was real.
It was real. Other people had it.
Yeah, I tried... I tried to tell the court that,
and I just kept sort of saying it wrong.
And the more I tried, the more I...
I can't explain it.
Well, it was like...
I was on the edge of...
a great, dark hole.
I was... I was just falling into it.
The thing is, I knew that they were lying,
and I knew I was telling the truth.
And I just thought, "This is British justice.
"That's all I've got to do, is tell the truth."
Oh.
Sorry. Oh, no, no, no. God, no!
I don't wanna upset you, I was just trying to tell you...
No... HE CHUCKLES
No, it's just, the more of you people I meet,
the less I... know how you're all still standing.
BOB SNIFFS Yeah.
Susan. Am I expecting you today?
We need to speak now.
Always good to see an old friend, but I do have a diary.
Not today, you don't.
Lee Castleton.
You know, the one you hounded
all the way to the Royal Courts of Justice?
That was my predecessor. When you knew he had no money.
You have humiliated him,
you have bankrupted him, and I don't get it.
Yes. I don't know why we did that.
Well, let me suggest two reasons. One, you're stupid.
Or, two, you want to rub his nose in the dirt,
use him to frighten off everyone else.
I wasn't even here then.
Oh, please. What is wrong with you people?
Are we ever to see the PIN pad
that Mrs Kaur alleges was responsible for her shortfalls?
Your Honour, I can now confirm
that Post Office Limited is unable to produce the PIN pad in question.
Because...? I'm told it was sent away for repair
and has been reprogrammed.
So it WAS faulty?
In those circumstances, Your Honour, the prosecution offers no evidence.
This matter has dragged on for three years.
I direct that a not-guilty verdict be entered
on all 36 counts on the indictment.
Mrs Kaur, you're free to leave.
CLERK: Court rise.
WHISPERING: Congratulations.
Hey. See?
You were right. It was faulty.
Sam, three years of our lives, but it's over now, OK? No.
Because they won't ever put another picture in the paper, will they,
to say I'm innocent?
Come on.
ARBUTHNOT: We're making progress.
Now the investigation is properly up and running,
I just thought, enough go-betweens.
What a good idea to bring you two together.
I do hope it's been useful for both of you.
Terrific idea. Thank you, James.
And, Alan, I do hope you'll take away from this
a sure understanding that Post Office
is as fully committed as you are to resolving this situation.
Thank you.
And, erm.... if there's anything else?
Uh, no, I... Actually...
Er...
Why are you only looking at 12 cases?
Well, they are the 12 cases put forward by Members of Parliament.
All the cases where we are alert
to the possibility of miscarriage of justice.
There are a lot more, though, Paula.
Victims who were never charged with any criminal offence.
But perhaps your people haven't told you about that.
About all the destitution - people sleeping in their cars,
losing their house, their health.
Surely you'd like to hear from them, too?
SCOFFS
Is that your throwaway exit line?
ALAN CHUCKLES
I was just thinking, you know, if you knew the full story,
you wouldn't want that on your conscience.
So...
Well, shall I suggest a few names?
STUTTERS
Yes, erm...
Good idea.
These are what I have here.
PHONE RINGS
Bob, good to hear from you. BOB RUTHERFORD: 'Hi there.'
The day you went to Fujitsu...
are you sure it was the 19th of August?
Uh, 2008, yeah.
Never forget that - last day of our old life.
Michael, you're not down as a visitor on their security logs.
Post Office are denying that your visit ever happened.
Course they are. 'Can you prove it?'
Michael, can you prove you were there?
Bob, it was four years ago.
'I don't work for the Post Office any more.'
Look at your new best friend pretending she can do a proper job.
PAULA, ON TV: 'It's lovely to be here. Thank you.'
INTERVIEWER: 'Paula, how often do you get to visit a place like this?'
'Probably once a month if I can.'
Oh, please!
'And what reaction do you get? I mean, you're the big boss.
'Do they get intimidated? 'No.
'This is the Post Office.
'I get treated the same as everybody else,
'and they tell me how it is.'
'And what's it like being the chief executive of a major company?'
'Well, I think you can tell by the smile on my face
'that it's... it's great.
'Retail is detail...' Shut up.
Shut up, you silly cow. TV SWITCHES OFF
Come on. Come and get your breakfast.
BOB RUTHERFORD: I shall present evidence to show
that the Post Office has made failures in support,
investigation, training,
and I found clear evidence of two bugs.
Two?
We gave you 47 cases. 47!
And this draft report of yours only mentions three.
Where's Michael Rudkin,
who can prove they're lying about remote access?
He can't prove it, actually.
Well, Members of Parliament
would certainly like to see more individual cases. Oh!
Look, the point is not individual cases.
The point is total systemic failure, which you don't mention.
Well, we haven't found hard evidence of that, either.
Well, what would you call the endless PIN pad anomalies
and shortfalls doubling before people's eyes
and overnight so-called corrections?
Well, there are 68,000 users,
processing six million transactions a day.
Well, this is just the gospel according to the Post Office.
Alan. For it to be systemic, that would have to mean
that the whole network was affected. and it just isn't.
What about the way they abuse their power and prosecute people
without investigating properly?
And then... And then terminate them on three months' notice
and walk away with their life savings?
Is that not a systemic failure?
We all agreed from the beginning
that the report should be accurate and evidence-based.
The Post Office has left a trail of destruction
ever since the day that Horizon was introduced,
and we're just sitting around chatting about it
while they're still ruining lives...
systemically.
ALAN SIGHS I agreed to this.
I must've been mad.
Welshmen with bees in their bonnets.
I was born in Liverpool.
He's an accountant, Alan. He's naturally cautious.
Cautious like you? I can be cautious.
Wasn't me in there banging the table.
I've never seen you angry before.
All that grandstanding, you mean?
I learnt that from you, Kay. KAY CHUCKLES
Ah, I don't get angry, I just get frustrated.
Second Sight are going to have to
come up with something better than this.
PHONE RINGS
MICHAEL: 'Bob, how's it going?'
BOB: Michael. Good. Um... any luck?
It's been a long time. A lot of water under the bridge.
Yes, OK.
'I understand.'
But, uh... see attached.
Oh, my fucking good God.
Michael, thank you.
'Thank you so much.'
So, Bob, I can confirm that in August 2008,
the basement of Fujitsu's building in Bracknell
did contain a Horizon test environment.
Note, a TEST environment.
And that's what we believe your subpostmaster Mr Rudkin saw.
He got the wrong end of the stick.
The test environment wasn't physically connected
to the live Horizon system, so... it wasn't possible
for the transactions he thought he saw to be real.
Got it. Thank you.
That's cleared that up. Good.
I'll see you out.
Thank you for joining me by conference call.
I'm sorry for the short notice in keeping the board updated.
The Horizon review interim report
will be presented to MPs in one week's time.
The report has found no systemic issues
with the Horizon computer system, but I am concerned
that the report from the independent forensic accountant
is not as factual as expected...
..and could lead to loose language.
ALAN: What are you? Poacher-turned-gamekeeper?
This report of yours turns out to be not half-bad, considering.
CHUCKLING: Faint praise. I like it.
Oh, I just hope it makes a difference.
What got Michael Rudkin into the final version?
Hm. An email inviting him to Bracknell,
copied to seven named Post office executives.
Hold on.
So, first, they say he wasn't there,
then they say he was there.
But, what, his glasses were broken? BOB CHUCKLES
I wonder if they even know they're talking bollocks.
Welcome on board, Bob.
Yeah, they still say that there's no remote access into your accounts.
I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm going to be able to prove
that they're wrong and that you're right on this one. Ah.
But, Alan, there are things in...
documents that I found in the Post Office files.
Beyond belief. Going to tell me more?
Someone else I need to tell first.
Wow! Good morning. Good morning, Mr Frog.
BOY: There he is! There he is.
Let's say good morning. Hello, all.
Bob, we're baby-sitting in the sunshine.
Isn't he gorgeous? CHUCKLES
I was hoping you'd be sitting somewhere quiet.
Yeah, I can do that, or I can put the kettle on.
Oh, me and Joshua will put the kettle on.
Your investigator, Ryan Fleming.
The toad?
Did you ever see his report about you?
No.
The 17th of May, 2006,
he recorded that he had analysed your Horizon accounts
and was unable to find any evidence of theft.
I pleaded guilty to false accounting instead. Mm.
Yes. No evidence means they had no right to charge you with theft,
and therefore no right to plea-bargain you down
to false accounting.
Jo, no evidence means they had no right to take you to court at all.
Everything I've gone through.
Everything I've lost.
FORCEFULLY: Ten... years...
..of heartache...
and sleepless nights...
and always skint.
Er, they destroyed our whole life for a lie?
What kind of people are they?
NEWS REPORT: 'The Second Sight report
'presented to MPs in Westminster today
'was expected to include criticism of the Horizon computer system
'and of the senior management of the Post Office.
'But while the report does raise concerns about unreliable hardware
'and poor training, a Post Office spokesman said
'the investigation clearly shows its Horizon system as a whole
'is operating as it should.
'MPs praised the Post Office
'for the way they've dealt with these difficult issues.'
PHONE RINGS
Alan Bates.
Alan, it's Paula Vennells.
Paula.
UNDER BREATH: Joking...
So, I was thinking...
..where do we go from here?
Well, um...
I've been thinking about that, too.
Well, great. Should the two of us try and find a way forward?
If you want something done properly, do it yourself.
Exactly.
Well...
How can I help?
# God knows what is hiding
# In those weak and drunken hearts
# Guess he kissed the girls And made them cry
# Those hard-faced queens Of misadventure
# People help the people
# And if you're homesick
# Give me your hand And I'll hold it. #
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