Police have identified two more suspects in the ongoing Post Office investigation, who have been interviewed under caution. Four suspects have now been identified as part of the Horizon IT scandal with no arrests made since the investigation launched in January 2020.
Last week, ITV reported that detectives investigating the Horizon IT scandal were made aware of at least two cases of potential criminal activity by an internal Post Office team examining claims of historical staff wrongdoing.
The internal inquiry, Project Phoenix, was established last year to review allegations made by sub-postmasters regarding the conduct of investigators who handled their cases. It remains unclear whether these individuals are subject to investigation by the Met.
The two other individuals, Fujitsu IT experts Gareth Jenkins and Anne Chambers, had been identified as suspects and were interviewed in October 2021 and again in September 2022. The Metropolitan Police stated that more suspects would be identified as the investigation progresses, and that members of the investigating team met with the lead campaigner and former sub-postmaster Sir Alan Bates on Sunday to provide an update.
The Met commented: ‘On Sunday, November 17, members of the investigating team met with Sir Alan Bates and a number of affected sub-postmasters to provide an update on our progress and next steps, following an invitation to do so.’
The statement added, ‘The team is preparing to contact other affected sub-postmasters soon’ and, ‘while four suspects have been formally identified, this number will grow as the investigation progresses.’
Detectives are investigating allegations of fraud, perjury and perverting the course of justice related to investigations and prosecutions carried out by the Post Office. These follow the prosecution of more than 900 sub-postmasters between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software created the appearance of missing funds.
Government data shows a total of 1,807 convictions have been quashed under the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024, with 316 convictions overturned between the 1st and 15th November 2024.
Hundreds still await compensation, despite the previous government announcing £600,000 payouts for those with quashed convictions. Victims continue to campaign for swift redress, with the new ‘Horizons Convictions Redress Scheme’ launched in July and a new appeals process in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme to speed up payments for those impacted.
