Alan Bates, the former subpostmaster who brought the Post Office to its knees, could be cruising into Palma this summer after he was offered a free Mediterranean cruise by Virgin boss, Sir Richard Branson.
Sir Richard Branson, who now owns a luxury hotel on the island at Banyalbufar wrote: " “Dear Alan, I did get a chance to read your moving interview in The Times and we’d love to offer you and Suzanne a well-earned holiday on Necker Island. I can’t think of anyone who deserves a break more. Bates had tears in his eyes after he was told that they were also being gifted upper class return tickets to the holiday destination on behalf of Virgin Atlantic, as well as a Mediterranean cruise from Virgin Voyages. Virgin cruise ships are regular visitors to both Palma and Ibiza during the summer months.
In 1999, hundreds of subpostmasters and subpostmistresses were accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting after the Post Office’s IT system (Horizon, developed by Fujitsu) incorrectly reported cash shortfalls across branches in the country.