Scotland Yard is facing mounting pressure to accelerate its investigation into the Post Office scandal following revelations that the company continued to pursue sub-postmasters in court despite knowing their defense was false.
An internal report, known as Bramble, commissioned by the Post Office in 2016 and conducted by Deloitte, exposed that management was aware that losses could be attributed to errors in the Horizon IT system. This information was shared with investigators in 2017, yet the company proceeded with the Bates v Post Office Ltd case, squandering £100 million of public funds.
Labour’s Kevan Jones, a member of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board, condemned the Post Office’s actions as an “abusive use of public cash against innocent people.” Calls have been made for an expanded police inquiry into the matter.
The leaked report from Deloitte highlighted discussions with Post Office management regarding potential IT system errors or remote tampering leading to branch losses. Additionally, a secretly recorded meeting in 2013, attended by then CEO Paula Vennells, revealed that Horizon computers could be accessed remotely, contradicting the company’s denials until 2019.
While Scotland Yard has been investigating the scandal since 2020, only two individuals have been interviewed under caution. Concerns have been raised about the slow progress of the probe, with lawyers representing sub-postmasters emphasizing the need for accountability.
The Post Office has stated that a statutory public inquiry, chaired by a judge with the authority to question witnesses under oath, is the appropriate forum to address the issues raised by the evidence. Scotland Yard confirmed that their investigation into potential offenses of perjury and perverting the course of justice is ongoing.
The inquiry into the scandal is set to continue next month, shedding light on a travesty that has unfolded over 25 years.