The Kahuna Cometh

Good morning from the Inquiry ante-room

Former Subpostmaster Lee Castleton and his wife Lisa are here, chatting to another former Subpostmaster (and once Britain’s youngest) Chris Head. Lee, Lisa, Chris and his mum Sue (all pictured above) are only staying for the morning session, then they’re off to Buckingham Palace this afternoon for a garden party. How nice and well-deserved.

Today should be interesting. I’ve watched Brian Altman KC ply his trade in court on behalf of the Post Office and I’ve seen just how brilliant and destructive he can be.

Altman’s efforts on behalf of his client to keep the Clarke Advice out of the public realm were telling. Don’t believe the Post Office when they say it was always going to be disclosed, either to the CCRC or to the Subpostmaster appellants. If the barrister Paul Marshall hadn’t spotted the trace of it, got it and read it the history of this scandal might be very different. Marshall told Radio 4 when he first read it his “teeth nearly fell out” and later said it was “the single most explosive document I have encountered in 30 years’ practice at the Bar”)

Cortes-Martin and the Process

If Belinda Crowe had a band, I think that’s what it would be called. Ms Cortes-Martin (née Crowe) gave evidence to the Inquiry yesterday. She’s a very clever woman and I don’t think Emma Price, counsel to the Inquiry, managed to lay a glove on her. Flora Page was a different story, exposing Cortes-Martin as the Post Office’s spy on the Complaint and Mediation Scheme Working Group, working to undermine Second Sight whilst posing as a neutral part of the group’s secretariat. You can read my write-up here.

It is entirely possible that if you’ve just signed up to this newsletter, a lot of the above might be complete gobbledy-gook. I apologise, I would try to explain everything but Altman starts giving evidence in less than 15 minutes and I want to be up and running for that when it starts.

The 2013 Clarke Advice and the 2013 – 2015 Complaint and Mediation Scheme are crucial elements to this story. The Clarke Advice is covered extensively on my Post Office Trial and Post Office Scandal websites. The complaint and mediation scheme is given the full treatment in my book, but I did do a couple of One Show pieces on it which you can find here.

Okay I’m diving in. Live tweets to follow, with a write-up by the end of the day. Don’t forget to sign up for these latter updates (for free) via the Post Office Scandal website so you can read them whilst they are still warm.

All best

Nick

Post Office Scandal – The Inside Story

In April and May 2024, I’ll be visiting various theatres in towns around England.

At each venue I’ll be joined by a former Subpostmaster. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the scandal.

All the dates and box office links are here. Please do have a look, see if there’s a venue near you, and if you fancy it, book a couple of tickets. Please also feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends who may live near a venue!

I’ll be around after each show in the foyer or bar and look forward to saying hello if you can make it.