Summary
Overview
This episode explores the beginning of the Post Office Horizon scandal, following Jo Hamilton, a sub-postmistress in South Warnborough who became one of hundreds wrongly accused of theft due to a faulty computer system. When the new Horizon accounting system began showing unexplained shortfalls in her accounts, Jo spent years trying to reconcile the figures, eventually facing prosecution and conviction for false accounting despite never stealing a penny. The episode reveals how a trusted British institution prosecuted honest people while covering up systemic flaws in their technology.
The Mysterious Whistleblower Meeting
In 2011 Shrewsbury, Alan Bates meets with Richard Roll, a former Fujitsu software engineer who worked on the Horizon system. Roll reveals explosive information that the system is full of bugs and that the Post Office has been lying about it for years. This meeting provides Alan with the first hard evidence of what would become Britain's biggest miscarriage of justice, affecting nearly 700 sub-postmasters and contributing to 13 suicides.
- Alan Bates has been fighting the Post Office for eight years to clear falsely accused sub-postmasters
- Richard Roll, former Fujitsu engineer, reveals the Horizon system is full of bugs he personally fixed
- Nearly 700 sub-postmasters were hauled to court and 13 people took their own lives
- This is proof of a massive and deliberate cover-up by the Post Office
" These are the names of a few of them. Are you telling me the post office knew all along? They've been lying. To you. To the British public. "
" This list, it's just the tip of the iceberg. "
Jo Hamilton Takes Over the Village Post Office
In 2001, Jo Hamilton becomes sub-postmistress of South Warnborough after her previous haulage business failed. Despite her mother's concerns about taking on too much, Jo sees this as a fresh start and opportunity to prove herself. She's eager to serve her community and expand the business with a shop and café, hoping to finally demonstrate she can make a business succeed.
- Jo's haulage business previously went under, forcing her to buy a new home on a joint mortgage with her parents
- When the previous sub-postmaster Olwen announces retirement, Jo fears losing the post office would sink her shop
- Despite her mother's protective concerns, Jo applies to become the new sub-postmistress
- Jo is determined to put past failures behind her and prove she can make a business succeed
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