GPOT Week 2 beginneth

Good morning secret emailers

I hope you had a good weekend. The Great Post Office Trial (specifically Jo Hamilton’s pants) made it onto BBC Radio 4’s Pick of the Week last night. You can listen to it here.

Today’s episode (broadcast after the World At One at 1.45pm) gets deep into the doomed Complaint and Mediation scheme and gives Lee Castleton a chance to tell his story.

Lee was one of the prime movers in trying to raise awareness for the plight of Subpostmasters in the mid-to-late 2000s. He has suffered immeasurably as a result of what was done to him, and he is a long way from getting any form of redress. He is also a lovely bloke. We’ve corresponded and met many times over the years and his unfailing courtesy, optimism and patience never fails to amaze me. I am grateful to him for his contribution to this series.

If you missed any episodes last week you can listen to them on the BBC Sounds website. They’re only 14 minutes long, but you could, if you wanted a slightly more convenient version, listen to the 57 minute long omnibus edition of the first week, which went out on Friday evening at 9pm.

Due to a quirk in the way the BBC Sounds website works, the omnibus edition is listed as Episode 11. The next omnibus, coming this Friday night is listed as Episode 12. Just to be clear this is a ten-part series and the last episode (10) will be broadcast on Friday at 1.45pm.

Credit where due

I’ve written a piece for the Post Office Trial website apportioning credit to Computer Weekly for breaking the Post Office Horizon scandal and documenting how other outlets got on board. It’s always risky doing this as I’m bound to miss someone or something out. It’s not meant to be a roll call of everyone who has ever written or done anything about the story, but if you think I’ve missed something important, please tell me.

Incidentally, I have attempted to give the Post Office Trial website a makeover, which should make it slightly easier to read. It’s nothing special – and I think the mobile version is largely unaffected, but please do let me know what you think, or if you experience any problems you hadn’t come across before.

CCRC statement tomorrow

The Criminal Cases Review Commission’s Commissioners met last week to to decide the fate of the remaining 22 Subpostmasters’ cases currently at the CCRC. I am told a statement is expected tomorrow. I will get that on the Post Office Trial website as soon as I am able.

Enjoy the rest of your day, and do please keep the correspondence coming.

Yours

Nick