TV moment as Sir Alan Bates surprises Swansea Horizon scandal victim

Ian Davies, 63, from Swansea, will feature in this week’s episode of Car S.O.S, where he is surprised with a fully restored 1973 Triumph Bonneville motorbike.

Ian was wrongly accused of theft due to faults in the Horizon IT system — losing his job, reputation and financial stability as a result.

Although his name was eventually cleared, the personal toll was devastating, with both his parents and his wife passing away before they could see justice done.

Emotional surprise

The episode sees presenters Tim Shaw and Fuzz Townshend take on their first-ever motorbike restoration to rebuild Ian’s cherished bike.

After suffering a stroke that left him unable to complete the project himself, Ian was nominated by his cousin — leading to one of the show’s most personal transformations.

In a powerful moment, Sir Alan Bates joins the team to help reveal the finished bike.

“One of the most shocking miscarriages of justice”

Tim Shaw said Sir Alan’s involvement was deeply personal.

“Sir Alan has had countless requests since the scandal came to light, but he’s been very clear about stepping back from that world,” he said.

“But when he heard Ian’s story, it clearly struck something much deeper – this was something he felt he had to be part of.”

He added: “What happened with Horizon is one of the most shocking miscarriages of justice in modern British history.

“When you hear what Ian has been through – losing everything, being wrongly accused, and then not having his family there to see his name cleared – it really brings home the human cost.”

A story that shocked the nation

The Horizon scandal saw hundreds of sub-postmasters wrongly prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 due to faults in the IT system.

Sir Alan Bates became a central figure in the fight for justice, later portrayed by Toby Jones in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which brought the scandal to national attention.

He was recognised in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours for his services to justice.

When and where to watch

The episode airs on National Geographic on Thursday 26 March at 8pm.

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