Dozens of people investigated over Horizon Post Office scandal

Dozens of people suspected of criminal offences in the Post Office Horizon scandal are being investigated in the largest police inquiry in history.

About 100 officers from forces across the country have been drafted in to investigate one of Britain’s most widespread miscarriages of justice.

More than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts.

But in total there were potentially more than 3,000 victims in the scandal through Post Office criminal and private prosecutions, civil claims and contract withdrawals. 

Many are still awaiting compensation. 

Now police are investigating potential charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice linked to the wrongful prosecutions of sub-postmasters and the wider presentation of the Horizon IT system as robust.

Detectives are looking at dozens of ‘persons of interest’ including those at senior levels within the Post Office and Fujitsu who were responsible for the software, as well as others in the legal profession involved in the wrongful prosecutions. 

No charges will be made until after the ongoing public inquiry publishes its report.

Yesterday Met commander Stephen Clayman said he was determined to put suspects on trial as soon as possible in 2027.

He said: ‘I cannot make promises this will be a fast process.

'However, I speak on behalf of our whole team when I say we will approach it with independence, precision and integrity.’