The Post Office

Criminal

Vox Media Podcast Network

Society & Culture, True Crime

4.7 • 39.4K Ratings

🗓️ 21 November 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Scott Darlington ran the post office in a village outside Manchester for four years. One day, the computer system told him there was money missing from the branch – and he was accused of theft and fraud. “I started thinking, ‘Maybe I’ve done this and I just haven’t realized that it’s been me.’” Nick Wallis’s book is The Great Post Office Scandal. Scott Darlington’s book is Signed Sealed Destroyed. Say hello on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts. Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, invitations to virtual events, special merch deals, and more. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery. Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Support for Criminal comes from Squarespace. Squarespace is the all-in-one platform designed to help you make a great website. Whether you're just starting out or trying to grow your business, Squarespace gives you everything you need to choose a URL, show off what you're selling, reach more customers, get paid, and do it all while looking professional. Everything in one place. Check out Squarespace.com slash criminal for a free trial.
0:23.0	And when you're ready to launch, use the offer code criminal to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
0:29.4	It's time for Black Friday at Dell Technologies.
0:32.0	Save big on PCs like the Dell 16 Plus featuring Intelcore Ultra Processors.
0:36.7	Shop now at Dell.com.org.org.
0:38.0	Hi, it's Phoebe. I want to tell you about something exciting that's happening.
0:44.5	Our membership program, Criminal Plus, is joining Patreon. Here's what it means.
0:50.6	No ads on anything we make, bonus episodes, and you directly support our work.
0:57.0	We're also sharing behind-the-scenes photos and videos, you get access to exclusive merch,
1:02.0	and we're able to talk with you in chat rooms about our episodes, and you can talk with each other.
1:07.0	That's something you've all been asking for for a long time. If you become a member before
1:12.8	November 30th, you'll also have the chance to join me and Criminal co-founder Lauren Spor for a
1:19.0	virtual lunch gathering. We're going to choose five people to get on a Zoom with us to hang out and
1:24.3	answer your questions. Just go to patreon.com slash criminal to sign up.
1:30.2	You can also give Criminal Plus as a gift, too.
1:33.4	We're very grateful to you for supporting our work.
1:36.7	Okay, here's the show.
1:40.3	I was taken to Chester Crown Court in the UK,
1:54.2	where I had to be handcuffed and put in this bulletproof box actually in the courthouse while my case was talked about.
2:03.5	But before I had gone in there, I had like a meeting with my barrister and he said to me, well, you know, because there's no evidence to the contrary, you're going to have to plead guilty.
2:08.1	If you plead not guilty, you might go to prison.
2:11.5	This is Scott Darlington.
	...

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