Two campaigners who fought for justice for sub-postmasters wrongly accused of false accounting will be honoured for their public service. Noel Thomas, from Gaerwen, Anglesey and Alan Bates, from Llandudno, Conwy county will both be recognised. Thomas will receive an honorary degree from Bangor University, acknowledging his role in raising awareness of the Horizon scandal. Hundreds of sub-postmasters were wrongly convicted after the Post Office’s faulty Horizon software flagged the false discrepancies in accounts.
Thomas was among those who campaigned to clear the names of postmasters who faced criminal convictions. Along with others, he successfully appealed his conviction and used his experience to encourage others to come forward. Alan Bates’ twenty year effort resulted in the formation of the Justice for Sub-postmasters Alliance (JSFA) in 2009. The group played a significant role in the legal battle against the Post Office. They sought justice for those who were adversely affected and worked to ensure compensation for those wrongly accused.
In 2017, a group of 555 sub-postmasters took legal action against the Post Office, ultimately resulting in compensation of £58m. These events were the inspiration for a series by ITV, watched by millions of viewers, called Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The other two individuals receiving honorary degrees are Manon Steffan Ros and Dr Susan Chomba.
Throughout a public inquiry, questions have been raised over how sub-postmasters were convicted. It is hoped that the efforts of campaigners like Thomas and Bates, who received honorary degrees, will lead to just outcomes for postmasters affected by the Horizon scandal
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