All language subtitles for Mr Bates.vs.The.Post.OfficeS01E01.EN

Well, I tend to go for a seven

cos my tension's too tight.

But seven-and-a-half, I think, yeah.

One first-class stamp there, Megan.

28p, please, love.

I know, daylight robbery.

That's the Post Office for you.

Oh, Alan? Alan.

Alan Bates?

Oh, thugs in suits.

You know why we're here, Alan.

And you know you're a day early.

Oi! There's a queue here.

I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen,

Er, not yet, it isn't.

Alan, come on.

If you'd like to make an appointment

for after

I shall inspect my diary

We have a right of entry.

I'm the sub-postmaster,

and everyone else is locked out.

So if you want to see my accounts...

..you'll have to come back tomorrow.

Right.

Come on. We're gonna need some help.

Sorry about that, Tom.

I'm calling

They're not calling me a thief.

They say money's somehow

which it hasn't,

and I have to pay it back,

So I say prove it.

Prove that I'm wrong

Show me the figures, but they can't

So now they want to close me down

That's ridiculous!

..because they don't want everyone

Which is?

That the fancy new computer system

that they've spent

No-one else has ever reported

I don't believe you.

So no actual crime

Well, Post Office Limited

my shop, my... my job, my home,

my life savings, my good name.

Civil matter.

Righto.

Might wanna come back tomorrow, sir.

Door opens

Door closes

Same time tomorrow?

Door opens

Door closes

Morning, Marion!

All right?

Hello, Jo. You all right?

Morning, Jo.

All right, Trevor, Nadia?

Hi, Elaine!

Morning.

No rush.

Ooh!

Ooh, you smell good.

Don't turn your back!

She chuckles

What's the matter, Diane?

I can't find it anywhere.

I can't... can't find it anywhere.

I keep it in my drawer, remember?

Sorry! Spinning plates.

Well, it's as much as I can do

to get myself into court

Er, a dozen first-class, please.

Whisper it, legal eagle,

Book-keeping,

not so much.

There you go.

Thanks, Jo.

No, job, no income,

All our hopes, dreams.

All our savings down the pan.

It's killing us, Alan.

I'm not letting

They already did.

Come on. Concentrate.

Well, I...

Up in the hills.

Am I not allowed to walk?

He chuckles

Just tell me how we're going

We'll work. It's what people do.

Now, come on, Suzanne.

If we're going to walk away, let's

OK.

And so they head off

On the plus side...

it won't be us hanging around

"Horizon helpline,

Oh, no!

'Horizon helpline,

Hold music plays

'Hello, how can I help?'

Er, it's Jo Hamilton here

I'm trying to produce

'And what's the problem?'

I know it's probably me because

but... I've declared my cash,

I've done it all three times,

I hate Wednesdays.

'Hm. And what does Horizon say?'

It says I've taken £2,032.67 more

'OK, redeclare your stock holding.

'So, that'll automatically create

'It'll have inflated

'So now... I want you to reverse

Righto.

'So now, if you redeclare

This is so helpful, thank you.

Don't go away,

Oh, my God!

It... I-It's just doubled

Now... Now it says I'm £4,000 down.

'It'll sort itself out,

'In the meantime...'

But I was only doing

'In the meantime,

I haven't got that money!

'I'm sorry, you are responsible

'and making good any shortfalls.'

You did your best, love.

MPs, ministers,

Daily Telegraph, Computer Weekly.

I'd have thought they'd have shown

We're putting it behind us now.

Er, I thought we were walking away?

We did say I could have

No problem!

Alan?

Careful!

Do we really need to be keeping

Just in case. I'll, er...

Mind your back.

There's nothing wrong with my back.

All put away, sorted.

Hm, maybe things

Shall we investigate the local pub?

Things are definitely

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

'I'm sorry, Mum.

'There's nothing left

My savings are already gone.

I know I should have told you

but I didn't wanna scare you.

It's all right, love.

You're her husband.

I don't know.

Jo... how did the post office money

What is it you've been doing wrong?

I don't know either. I have no idea.

Oh, I don't wanna cry.

I kept thinking, one day,

some kind of electronic wizardry

and it would just sort itself out,

And now the computer says my

Remortgaging the house, though?

I know what I'm suggesting

But, David, there's

and if they sack me,

This house. Our home.

I have to make good my shortfalls.

I have to find the money

If it draws a line under it.

'Horizon helpline,

'All our agents are busy right now,

Hold music plays

Dad? I can't find my trainers.

Have a look.

'Horizon helpline,

Hi, yeah. It's, er...

er, from Bridlington.

Yeah, look me up, it's all there.

Thank you.

Daddy! Yeah,

'OK, yeah. I've got your file here.'

Yeah, right.

this is the 91st time I've called

'Yeah, it's odd. No-one else

I-I still can't make any sense

You know, I still wonder, someone

'No, no, no, that's impossible.

'Branch accounts

OK, right. So, if it's definitely

please can you just tell me what?

'So you wanna request a visit

Yes, yes! Finally, thank you.

They'll get to the bottom of it.

All right. Have a good day, kids.

Right, I'm, erm...

Listen, I'm gonna...

so, yeah, they'll definitely

'What you need to do

'You need to put in a number

'or the computer won't find it.'

How's that supposed to work?

'I don't know, it just works.

Last time it showed a loss,

I can't understand

'Me neither.

'You know, you must balance tonight,

I have to open in the morning,

'So, one digit higher or lower.

'Your takings must match

God forgive me.

'I'll be fine, Mrs Goggins.

Mummy? Mummy?

Mummy, they're leaving.

Mummy's just nipping down to see

Thanks for all your help, yeah

Did they find the problem?

£26,000 has gone missing.

You what?

Let's go through those figures

Hey?

Locked out my own post office

26,000?

What are we gonna do?

Fight.

Alan grumbles

Whatever it is you're reading,

you're doing it

Year one of the degree,

including programming

Let's see?

Oh, God! Computer science?

Why don't you do English

Computer science is good.

In which case,

or golf club management?

And my student grant will help

Also, we'll be able

..so people will be able to find us.

People?

Meaning sub-postmasters?

Three years

and, "Come on, Suzanne,

Has a single day gone by when

I got a job.

Teaching?

Cleaning. Offices.

I start next week.

No shame in it, is there?

One day...

One day, what?

..we'll get the bastards.

Right, Millie, you've been quiet all

What's bothering you?

Er, don't tell me what?

That boy made a big spit

He did what?

The same one who said Dad stole lots

Millie?

You know that's not true, OK?

Your dad is not a thief.

He's not.

Go on, go upstairs. Go and play.

Now, look at this! Look, look!

I've been through these 100 times.

I'm gonna have to talk

23rd of March, right?

I put in the transaction...

That should never happen.

It's proof there's something wrong

Lee. The children.

I know.

The only way to stop it

Right? It must be a bug.

It must be a computer bug or...

Right.

Lee? Look, there's

Are you just gonna randomly

and ask if their computer is broken?

How else am I gonna find someone

before my case goes to court?

I've got to show 'em

Lisa, the Post Office are suing us

and we haven't got hanging around

Phone dialling

Hello, yeah.

My name's Lee Castleton, and I...

'Sorry, mate,

Line disconnects

It's all right,

Phone dialling

Please.

Knock at door

Jo!

Well, you can't keep working

You'll kill yourself.

Oh, Jo. Love...

I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I keep trying over and over,

The numbers,

and I don't know where the money is.

I don't know where it's gone.

They need to send someone down here

No, no, they'll sack me!

Oh, Jo... You need help.

Jo sobs

Mrs Hamilton?

I'm Ryan Fleming,

Thank you.

Oh, of course, yes.

Morning, Jo!

What's going on?

Mrs Hamilton,

that the audit you requested

of £36,644.89?

I've never been able

and when I tried to get help...

As you must know,

makes clear

Like, once, I was on the phone

and it doubled, it just doubled,

Mrs Hamilton, this is public money.

We need to talk about

Sizing this place up

Let me tell you,

so you can keep

And tell your evil bosses I said so.

The shortfalls we uncovered today

do not appear in any of the weekly

My daughter is not a thief.

A formal investigation will follow.

Why would I do this?

Until then, I'm suspending you,

Doorbell rings

Jo! Hello.

I think I might need a solicitor.

Oh, erm, but I do...

That's good. That's great.

You do not have to say anything,

but it may harm your defence

when questioned something

Anything you do say

This is your cash account final

Is that your signature?

No comment.

This is your branch trading

It states that the cash-in-hand

Is that a true amount

for that transaction statement?

No comment.

Have you deliberately inflated

No comment.

..to cover the fact that you've

No comment.

Where's the money, Jo?

What have you spent it on?

No comment.

It was good to have a rehearsal,

Mm-hm.

..before I have to do it properly

With the police?

Well, they'll arrest me now,

Jo, the Post Office

The Post Office has the right to run

all the way to the Crown Court.

It's been that way for 300 years.

'Disgraced

'is tonight behind bars,

'starting a nine-month

He used to be a Federation man.

'Caernarfon Crown Court heard today

'that County Councillor Thomas

'as honest, respectable, a pillar

'What did you do

'The 59-year-old

'to false accounting

Did she just say £48,000?

Well, that's not the odd bit

It's a hell of a lot of money,

And he's pleaded guilty, so...

He didn't look guilty,

Looked bloody terrified.

How do we know what pressure

Everything all right?

What is it?

Royal Courts of Justice? In London?

I'll be the only one there

Oh, God, Lee...

I'll just show the judge my logs,

And I'll just tell the truth.

It's not a criminal court, is it?

But, Lee, they'll have

Yeah, I know, and I'll be

due to the fact I haven't got

Look, Lisa, we've just got to trust

and everything'll be all right.

I've just gotta tell the truth.

It's fine. Don't worry.

Right, erm...

Sighs

It's called a plea bargain.

The deal is the Post Office

if you agree to plead guilty

And the plea bargain

Well...

Sorry.

How is 14 charges

better than one charge of theft?

Theft is much bigger.

And if you fight it

then you will go to prison.

Also, there are two conditions

The Post Office say you have

£36,000? How am I gonna to do that?

And you must undertake

Well, I am guilty, I am,

all those accounts

But I never stole that money.

Issy, I still don't know

'Computers drive me mad.

'I never got used to Horizon,

'but I can't claim

No, no, I appreciate

'I've gotta go. Bye-bye.'

Phone rings

Hello?

'Sorry about that,

'Everyone's scared to talk.

'There's just one guy

Hello, yeah. I... I was hoping

'You're Lee, right?

Yeah.

'is that one of our terminals

'just stopped communicating

'Horizon didn't pick it up,

'Some kind of bug.

'And that bug could be affecting

'with more than one terminal.'

Exactly the same thing

You see, and they always tell you

'Don't get too excited, laddie,

'cos I'm not going on record

Well, no, I just thought

'I've got thousands invested

'and I can't afford to make

Well, yeah, but what's the point...?

'Look, I'll forward you

'You can use that, if it helps.'

Are you gonna send it now?

All right. All right, thank you.

These so-called shortfalls,

Your system,

I'm a systems specialist employed

I was unable to identify any basis

on which Horizon

Ah, no, no, you see, no,

where the same thing has happened.

You must ask Mrs Chambers

Oh, OK. Sorry.

You mean the branch

Yes, that's it, yeah.

The exact... The exact same thing,

I-I think... we both have

Yes, but the problem

from an error in the Horizon system.

My Lord, there is no evidence

at Mr Castleton's branch.

No, no, no, it's the same thing.

It's... It's...

I-it's...

The conclusion is inescapable

was working properly

and that the shortfall is real -

that the losses must have been

There will thus be a judgment

for £25,858.95.

The claimant is entitled

and accordingly,

all Post Office Limited's costs

All empty.

Come on, you two. Let's get inside.

'And that was me,

'And now the shop's gone

'because we can't sell it.'

Our proceeds will go

But, you know, I was an electrician

so at least I've still got a trade,

but it just means

And people think

but it's not that.

'It's not that, just, you know,

'gotta go where the work is,

Mr Castleton, I'm calling

but...

It's me going on at myself.

Er, "Free expert help

Yeah, I'm still looking for answers,

I'm not an expert, I'm afraid,

Mr Castleton...

Lee, Lee, yeah.

Apart from the chap you spoke to

do you know if this has happened

Well, it must have done.

Morning, Jo.

I've never even had

Shall we?

There we are.

"For sentence, R v Hamilton."

Queen versus me.

I wonder if she knows?

Applause

The Post Office, the shop,

is at the heart of any community

And Jo... well, we all love her.

In some ways,

People confide in her,

and she can always tell

You see, we trust her,

and we just can't believe that any

Thank you, Mrs Leese.

Please stand up.

Mrs Hamilton, what exactly

I don't know, sir.

I have a large number

from your community,

all of whom seem to be here today

I still have no idea.

It turned into fraud.

It's a very serious state of affairs

in whom the public is entitled

However, in light

..I do not intend

You will be sentenced

and weekly meetings

You're free to leave.

Applause

I can't believe

You're all right, you're all right.

Maybe she was scared, Alan.

Maybe she thought, "Put your hands

Yeah, and now

Not everyone is as stubborn as you.

He scoffs

Phone rings

Hello?

Yeah, who's calling, please?

Oh, OK. Yeah. OK. Alan?

It's a reporter from Computer Weekly

who's read about that woman

and they want to talk to you

Alan Bates.

I can see you contacted us

Yeah, I'm sorry about that.

It's odd, because everyone thinks

as sort of warm and cuddly.

You know, when I first got legal

I was warned that if I tried to take

the Post Office would just keep

Thank you.

But they never accused you

No, no, no.

You know what I think?

I think they knew that there was

But, Rebecca...

how many other sub-postmasters

Six who will go on the record.

Plus you, if you're willing.

What do you think?

Course I will.

"..problem seems to be affecting

"A seventh postmaster, Alan Bates,

"saying it would have made him

"He has called

Oh, good luck with that.

Oh, you'll like this bit.

"A Post Office spokesman

"is an extremely robust system..."

"..which operates over

"..and successfully records

"There is no evidence that points

We had the evidence.

"We would always look into

"any issues raised

Turds.

Well, honestly!

"We do accept

"may experience

Oh, yeah, right! I don't think so.

What else have they put?

This poor chap got sent to prison.

Hello?

Noel?

Jo?

Do you want a... tea?

Yes, please.

'I couldn't believe it

Fallen postmistress.

Just...

Just the idea

caught up in the same trap.

I don't miss the Post Office.

Well, I miss the wages, but...

17 years old

delivering letters on my bike.

42 years, I worked for them.

Think of it. Man and boy.

Lord, Noel.

All I heard the judge say was...

I couldn't believe it. I couldn't.

And then... "Take him down."

Had my 60th birthday

It was hell on Earth.

I'm really glad you came.

Can you believe this chap?

Just kept refusing

Kept refusing to pay.

Bloody hero.

'Oh, my God,

'would it have occurred to me

They wrote off

when I jumped up and down

You never thought it was your fault?

Well, why am I such a fool?

I mean, I never even thought

except that it was weird

when they said I wasn't allowed

'I hope you don't mind me

I don't mind at all.

But, Jo... can I ask you one thing?

Yeah, anything.

Why did you plead guilty?

'Oh, I didn't want to.'

Oh, my God, no, but...

And I didn't know

You shouldn't have to.

It's supposed to be

Yeah, right.

So, what do we do now?

'Alan? Any ideas?'

Thank you for waiting.

Chuckles

I guess I'll have my sewing room

It won't be for long.

Bridlington, Hampshire,

and two in North Wales.

That's the seven

Then there's, er...

But where are all the others?

I'm thinking, test the water.

Set up a meeting,

see if anyone turns up?

Somewhere central.

Birmingham? That's pretty central.

Fenny Compton.

Fenny...

OK.

Just the place to start

out of the Post Office.

808 inhabitants.

And a church hall.

Nah. Today, Fenny Compton...

He chuckles

You know...

..this could be huge.

Or nobody might turn up.

But it's got to be worth a try.

Jo?

Alan!

Guessed on account of the cakes.

I wasn't sure how many to bring.

Hi. Suzanne.

Hello.

Jo chuckles

We can always take them home

He chuckles

We'll give it 20 minutes.

Oh, wow.

Oh...

He chuckles

Oh, wow. Alan, you did it!

Look at everyone!

Look at them all.

Hi.

Are you all here for the meeting?

Yes, we are.

Well, you... better come in, then.

We all look knackered.

Indistinct chatter

Right. Er... Well...

Welcome, everyone.

We're all here

..put our heads together.

We're here because...

..the Post Office...

..told every single one of us

..told us over and over...

"You're the only one."

And that was wrong.

Because... Well, look at us.

Here we all are.

And from this moment forwards...

..none of us will be

# God knows what is hiding

# In those weak and drunken hearts

# Guess he kissed the girls

# Those hard-faced queens

# People help the people

# And if you're homesick

# Give me your hand