Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

'Architect of Horizon system' apologises over past comments

Former Fujitsu engineer Gareth Jenkins was often referred to as the architect of the faulty Horizon IT system

'Architect of Horizon system' apologises over past comments

FORMER Fujitsu engineer Gareth Jenkins on Thursday (27) apologised for emails in which he accused Post Office IT scandal victim Seema Misra of “jumping on the bandwagon” in questioning the reliability of Horizon system, a day after he admitted that he knew that the computer system could be accessed remotely.

Jenkins was giving evidence for a third day to the ongoing public inquiry when he was questioned about the criminal prosecution of Misra, a post office operator who was pregnant with her second child in 2010 when she was convicted of theft and sentenced to 15 months in prison. Her conviction was overturned by the court of appeal in 2021.


Jenkins, who is often referred to as the architect of the faulty Horizon IT system, was an expert witness for the Post Office at her trial.

He told the inquiry that her prosecution by Post Office management had been “fairly chaotic”, agreeing that he felt “uncomfortable” and put under pressure by Post Office management over the case.

The inquiry was shown an email dated March 1 2010 from Jenkins to a Post Office executive in which he wrote that Misra had “decided to jump on the bandwagon” to blame Horizon in her court case.

Jenkins told the inquiry, “It was totally inappropriate on my part and I apologise.”

Jason Beer KC, counsel to the inquiry, asked, “Does that reveal what your mindset was in February 2010 when you were conducting investigations into Seema Misra’s case and providing witness statements?”

Jenkins replied, “No. That is me, very poorly, trying to summarise what I thought was being laid out in the email trail below and I apologise for the wording that I used there.”

This comes a day after Jenkin stated that he knew the computer system could in theory be accessed remotely by its staff for nearly two decades before realising it was happening in practice.

Jenkins told the inquiry he knew that remote access to the Horizon IT system by Fujitsu staff was technically possible from about 2000, shortly after its introduction across branches, but said he believed at the time it was “controlled, recorded and visible” to post office operators. He did not realise it was being used in practice until 2018.

Jason Beer KC, counsel to the inquiry, asked Jenkins when he first became aware that staff at the support service centre in Fujitsu’s offices in Bracknell, Berkshire, were able to remotely access branch accounts and insert transactions.

“I always knew it was theoretically possible … until 2018 I did not realise [they] were actually doing it,” Jenkins replied, adding that he understood any interventions were not done “very frequently”.

Beer asked, “If they were doing it in the hours of business when a sub-postmaster was logged on, their work might be attributed to him or her?”

“I accept that, yes,” Jenkins replied.

Earlier on Tuesday (25), his first day of giving evidence, Jenkins admitted he changed crucial expert court testimony at the request of the Post Office during wrongful prosecutions of branch operators.

Jenkins was questioned about changes made to his draft witness statement in the criminal prosecution of the post office operator Noel Thomas when a Post Office investigator had struck out words which Jenkins had written about the system failures being “normal occurrences”.

Jenkins accepted that the Post Office had “applied pressure” on him and was asked whether he thought it appropriate his language was “haggled over” and replied he was “happy with the wording we ended up with”.

More For You

Trump

Trump said the suspect had been arrested earlier for 'terrible crimes,' including child sex abuse, grand theft auto and false imprisonment, but was released under the Biden administration because Cuba refused to take him back.

Getty Images

Trump says accused in Dallas motel beheading will face first-degree murder charge

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has described Chandra Mouli “Bob” Nagamallaiah, the Indian-origin motel manager killed in Dallas, as a “well-respected person” and said the accused will face a first-degree murder charge.

Nagamallaiah, 50, was killed last week at the Downtown Suites motel by co-worker Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, a 37-year-old undocumented Cuban immigrant with a criminal history.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer Mandelson

Starmer talks with Mandelson during a welcome reception at the ambassador's residence on February 26, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Getty

Starmer under pressure from party MPs after Mandelson dismissal

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer is facing questions within the Labour party after the sacking of US ambassador Peter Mandelson.

Mandelson was removed last week after Bloomberg published emails showing messages of support he sent following Jeffrey Epstein’s conviction for sex offences. The dismissal comes just ahead of US president Donald Trump’s state visit.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nepal’s new leader pledges to act on Gen Z calls to end corruption

Officials greet newly-elected Prime Minister of Nepal's interim government Sushila Karki (R) as she arrives at the prime minister's office in Kathmandu on September 14, 2025. (Photo by PRABIN RANABHAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Nepal’s new leader pledges to act on Gen Z calls to end corruption

NEPAL’s new interim prime minister Sushila Karki on Sunday (14) pledged to act on protesters’ calls to end corruption and restore trust in government, as the country struggles with the aftermath of its worst political unrest in decades.

“We have to work according to the thinking of the Gen Z generation,” Karki said in her first address to the nation since taking office on Friday (12). “What this group is demanding is the end of corruption, good governance and economic equality. We will not stay here more than six months in any situation. We will complete our responsibilities and hand over to the next parliament and ministers.”

Keep ReadingShow less
UK secures £1.25bn US investment ahead of Trump’s visit

US president Donald Trump and UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer arrive at Trump International Golf Links on July 28, 2025 in Balmedie, Scotland. (Photo by Jane Barlow-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

UK secures £1.25bn US investment ahead of Trump’s visit

THE British government has announced over £1.25 billion ($1.69bn) in fresh investment from major US financial firms, including PayPal, Bank of America, Citigroup and S&P Global, ahead of a state visit by president Donald Trump.

The investment is expected to create 1,800 jobs across London, Edinburgh, Belfast and Manchester, and deepen transatlantic financial ties, the Department for Business and Trade said.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nearly 150,000 join anti-migrant protest in London as clashes erupt

Protesters wave Union Jack and St George's England flags during the "Unite The Kingdom" rally on Westminster Bridge by the Houses of Parliament on September 13, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Nearly 150,000 join anti-migrant protest in London as clashes erupt

MORE THAN 100,000 protesters marched through central London on Saturday (13), carrying flags of England and Britain and scuffling with police in one of the UK's biggest right-wing demonstrations of modern times.

London's Metropolitan Police said the "Unite the Kingdom" march, organised by anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson, was attended by nearly 150,000 people, who were kept apart from a "Stand Up to Racism" counter-protest attended by around 5,000.

Keep ReadingShow less