Attempted suicide, exile abroad and prison: The stories behind the Post Office scandal

The Post Office scandal refers to a series of miscarriages of justice that occurred in the UK between 2006 and 2013. It involved a number of individuals who were wrongly convicted of theft and fraud after being accused by the Post Office of stealing from their own branches. Many of these individuals were exiled abroad or sentenced to prison as a result of these false accusations.

One of the most well-known cases involved a man named Alan Horne, who was falsely accused of stealing £3.6 million from his Post Office branch in Falkirk, Scotland. Despite maintaining his innocence and providing evidence to clear his name, Horne was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He spent time in prisons across the UK before being released on appeal in 2018.

Another case involved a woman named Linda Lewis, who was falsely accused of stealing £350,000 from her Post Office branch in Walsall, England. She was exiled to Australia and spent time in prison there before being cleared of all charges and returning to the UK in 2017.

The Post Office scandal has been widely criticized for its handling of these cases and the impact they have had on the lives of those wrongly accused. Many of the victims have spoken out about their experiences and called for justice to be served. The new ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office has re-captured the attention of the nation by shedding light on the injustices that were committed during this time.