Broadbottom actress Julie Hesmondhalgh has been praised for spotlighting the plight of Post Office victims in the Horizon computer scandal.

More than 700 Post Office branch subpostmasters were wrongly convicted of theft due to a fault with the organisation’s computer system, developed by Fujitsu and introduced into Post Office branches in the late 1990s.

Some went to prison, wrongfully charged with theft from the Post Office, while others lost their entire livelihoods, and disgraced in their own communities a number were even driven to take their own lives.

But the scandal, branded the greatest injustice in British history, which has rumbled on for literally decades, has been freshly exposed in the TV drama ‘Mr Bates Vs The Post Office’.

In the programme, Julie portrays Alan Bates’ partner, Suzanne Sercombe, as they battled on behalf of all the subpostmasters for justice.

Since the four-part series was aired, public outcry has escalated, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak labelling the scandal an “appalling miscarriage of justice”.

The government declared it would look at swiftly introducing new legislation to clear all those wrongly accused, while more subpostmasters have come forward as victims and are being encouraged to do so. 

Meanwhile, more than one million people signed a petition calling for former Post Office boss Paula Vennells – who originates from Denton – to be stripped of her CBE. 

On Tuesday, she took that decision herself, relinquishing the honour and saying she was “truly sorry for the devastation” caused to subpostmasters and their families.

Actor Julie states she was “completely overwhelmed” by the response to the programme, and “the outpouring of outrage over the scandal and cover up.”

“It’s more than any of us dared hope that it would move the campaign along, but sometimes drama can do that. And now, justice for the thousands affected.”

Voices continue to grow calling for those responsible for the scandal to face justice themselves.

Stalybridge and Hyde MP Jonathan Reynolds, Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade, responded in the House of Commons to the news  that the government would look to quickly quash the convictions of those wrongly charged this week.

He says: “The Horizon scandal
is one of the most egregious miscarriages of justice in British history, something which robbed people of their lives, their liberty, driven by the misguided belief that technology was infallible and workers dishonest. 

“The Post Office prosecuted innocent people, causing unimaginable pain and suffering, which no amount of compensation can ever alleviate.

“Yet to add insult to injury the journey to justice for those subpostmasters has been mired by a great many barriers, and we know some of the people affected have tragically passed away before they’ve ever had the chance to see justice.

“It is an urgent priority to get compensation to all those affected. And it is unconscionable that convictions still remain where it is clear no wrongdoing has been committed.

“Justice must be served to those workers and families and that is why Labour is calling for all subpostmasters to be exonerated in full.”

He adds no one wrongfully charged should have to face any further litigation and relive the trauma of the past in efforts to clear their names.

“The public want reassurance that nothing like this can ever be allowed to happen again,” he says.

Separately, he thanked “the brilliant team behind ‘Mr Bates Vs The Post Office’, including our very own creative force of nature, Julie Hesmondhalgh, for accelerating the issue up the nation’s agenda. 

“We have had many successes in the fight for Horizon justice including compensation for an affected constituent, but we’ve seen this week the unstoppable role of arts and culture in highlighting injustice and increasing awareness. Thank you to the whole sector,” he added.

Denton and Reddish MP Andrew Gwynne has been fighting on the issue for years on behalf of his constituent, Della Robinson, who used to run a Post Office in Dukinfield and was wrongfully convicted of theft when she was caught up in the scandal.

Writing in his column for the Reporter this week, the MP says he will continue campaigning for all victims.

“It’s a scandal local people have felt a deep, and personal, impact from. My constituent Della Robinson used to run Dukinfield Post Office, a valued part of the community, but lost everything due to criminal action pursued against her by the Post Office. 

“Despite her innocence, the Post Office stripped Della of her livelihood, and the people of Dukinfield of her fantastic service and dedication. 

“Della and her fellow subpostmasters have had to jump through endless loops in their fight for justice, spending valuable time and money with the Post Office placing hurdle after hurdle in their way. 

“Whilst Della has had her conviction rightly quashed, hundreds of others still hold criminal records that are utterly unjust, with many struggling to access compensation.”

Della’s conviction was overturned in a landmark ruling by the Court of Appeal back in 2021. She was wrongfully accused of theft from the Post Office in 2006 – all due to the malfunctioning Horizon system – and was prosecuted and received a community service order. 

Joining the chorus of calls for justice this week is Hollingworth subpostmaster Shaz Naz.

He has run the Post Office and store on Market Street since 2012, and while he himself did not fall victim to the Horizon scandal, he has to use the system every day and says it simply never “balances”.

He watched the series with his partner and says: “We just looked at each other and said: ‘Oh my God, this is so true’. There was nothing made up for dramatic effect, because they didn’t need to. That is exactly how it is.”

He says exactly the same thing could still happen now, as the issues have not been resolved, adding: “If there was a shortfall in my Post Office that was unexplained now, they could close us down without any notice.”

He says the Horizon system had an obvious glitch, especially where discrepancies of hundreds or thousands of pounds were  concerned.

As depicted in the drama, he is also critical of the helpline.

“Often the subpostmaster knows more than those providing the helpline service! The people offering the advice don’t know any more and are just reading off a script.”

He says there will be many more affected by the scandal who have not come forward.

“I’m in an online group and nearly every subpostmaster has been affected by losses due to the Horizon system –and you are under immediate pressure to pay any losses back.

“I’ve got posts on the Post Office chat group where one gentleman tried to take his own life as a result of the scandal, and over a period of ten years every month he was putting in £100 of his own money just to clear the losses. So over the years he has put thousands in. 

“All of those people who have experienced huge losses need to have those losses paid back to them in full, plus interest. On top of that, they should be compensated for the mental torture they have gone through.”

He adds all those responsible should also face criminal charges.

“They deliberately misled judges, parliament, the employees and subpostmasters. If it’s deliberate, it’s criminal and if any face custodial sentences as a result, then so be it.”  

However, he says actions speak louder than words, and fears the situation could still continue to drag on.

But one episode especially resonated with Shaz, which portrayed an armed robbery, for he himself fell victim to a robbery at the Hollingworth branch four years ago.

“In the episode you saw exactly what happened. The subpostmaster had his hand injured and he was robbed, but there was no sympathy from the Post Office whatsoever, and that was exactly the same for me.

“The subpostmaster in the drama was made to feel like a criminal – that it was his fault. We are custodians of Post Office money and as custodians we are held responsible.

“It was a long time before the Post Office said I wouldn’t be held responsible for the money that was stolen in the robbery. They did offer counselling,  but they just wanted their money. That was quite clear.”

Shaz says customers have commented about the story to him and how appalling it is, and he says it re-enforces how important it is for people to support their local businesses, especially where there is a local store and a Post Office as it is the store that subsidises the Post Office.

“I have had a lot of positive feedback from customers, and things like this sometimes do bring the community together,” he adds.