Sun Sep 08 01:32:00 UTC 2024: ## Branson Officiates Wedding of Post Office Scandal Campaigner
Sir Alan Bates, the prominent campaigner for subpostmasters wrongly convicted by the Post Office, has married his longtime partner Suzanne Sercombe in a ceremony officiated by billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson. The wedding took place last month on Branson’s private island in the British Virgin Islands.
Branson, known for his adventurous spirit, reportedly invited the couple to the island after Bates expressed a desire for a holiday in an interview earlier this year. The wedding was said to be a surprise for Sercombe, who had to make do with a sundress she packed for the trip instead of a traditional wedding gown.
The couple, who have been together for 34 years, finally tied the knot in a ceremony that was followed by a celebratory gathering on the island. Branson, who gave a speech at the wedding, acknowledged Bates’s tireless fight for justice for hundreds of subpostmasters wrongfully convicted due to faulty IT systems.
Bates, who was portrayed by Toby Jones in the ITV drama “Mr Bates vs The Post Office,” became a household name for his unwavering commitment to exposing the Post Office scandal. The inquiry investigating the wrongful prosecutions is set to resume on September 23rd.
First Piper 