The real people behind the Horizon scandal featured in ITV's Mr Bates vs. The Post Office
Mr Bates vs the Post Office brought the real-life stories of postmasters to the screens. Here are the people behind the on-screen characters:
Alan Bates
Former sub-postmaster Alan Bates, played in the drama by Toby Jones, and partner Suzanne had high hopes when, in 1999, they opened their own shop with a post office counter in Llandudno.
Alan first became aware of issues with Horizon when his books showed a shortage of £6,000, with multiple duplicated transactions pointing toward a serious error. The Post Office ended up terminating Alan's contract regardless in 2003, claiming that £1,200 was still unaccounted for. Alan and Suzanne lost their Post Office counter, as well as investment money worth approximately £60,000.
He refused to let the situation lie and was the driving force behind the campaign. Now retired, he continues his work to help Post Office workers fighting for justice.
Jess Kaur
Jess Kaur who is identified as Saman in the ITV series and played by actres Krupa Pattani, owned a Post Office in Aldridge, near Walsall. In 2009, she was taken to court and accused of theft by the organisation.
