Post Office Horizon scandal: No Trials before 2027, say police

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Plans for trials related to the Post Office Horizon IT scandal are not set to begin until 2027. The investigation into potential crimes by Post Office and Fujitsu employees, as well as external lawyers, stems from the wrongful prosecution of hundreds of subpostmasters whose accounts were alleged to be missing money due to faulty software. Police are currently looking at “dozens” of possible suspects.

According to police, three suspects have already been questioned under caution. They plan to interview further individuals next year, although charging is not expected until the police have received the final report from a separate public inquiry. This report is expected to be published almost 30 years after the matter was first raised.

Operation Olympos began in 2020 and involves 100 officers from across England and Wales. The investigation is being led by the Metropolitan Police, with support from the National Crime Agency, Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Commander Steve Clayman, who is leading the investigation, said that his team “thinks” over 3,000 people were affected by the scandal, which means that a lot of work is still required.

The first phase of the investigation, which focuses on those making “key decisions” regarding investigations and prosecutions, will look at potential offences of perjury and perverting the course of justice. A second phase of the investigation, with a potentially wider remit, could take in senior post office executives. Police are currently working from 1.5 million documents but expect this number to grow over time.

As one sub-postmaster said, the length of time taken to investigate and prosecute cases was surprising, but those affected by the scandal remain confident that justice will ultimately be done. Meanwhile, the investigation continues, with the potential for further hearings and trials further down the line

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More

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