Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Post Office sabotaged Horizon IT inquiry, investigator claims

Forensic accountant Ian Henderson said that the Post Office improperly withheld documents

Post Office sabotaged Horizon IT inquiry, investigator claims

THE ongoing public inquiry has revealed that the Post Office repeatedly undermined the efforts of independent investigators examining problems with the Horizon IT system.

Forensic accountant Ian Henderson said that the Post Office improperly withheld documents from Second Sight, the company hired in 2012 to investigate the accounting software.


According to Henderson, the public entity prioritised safeguarding its own reputation over aiding sub-postmasters.

During the inquiry, he also claimed that former Post Office chief, Paula Vennells, attempted to divert the investigation away from potential miscarriages of justice.

Between 1999 and 2015, the Post Office prosecuted hundreds of sub-postmasters for theft and fraud based on faulty data from the Horizon IT system. In 2012, under pressure from MPs, the Post Office commissioned Second Sight to investigate claims that Horizon was responsible for accounting discrepancies rather than criminal actions.

Despite starting their investigation, Henderson and his colleague Ron Warmington were dismissed by the Post Office in March 2015.

Henderson revealed that the Post Office obstructed their efforts by ignoring document requests and excessively delaying responses, often citing unjustified claims of legal privilege.

When Second Sight finally received documents in late October 2012, Henderson quickly realised the potential for numerous miscarriages of justice. He alleged that Vennells persistently tried to prevent them from investigating these cases.

By February 2015, Henderson believed he was dealing with a cover-up and possibly a criminal conspiracy by the Post Office. He was also worried about potential legal repercussions for alleged breaches of confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements.

Warmington said that the Post Office, possibly at the highest levels, knew the Horizon system had been causing discrepancies for years. He accused the Post Office of unsafe prosecutions, convictions, bankruptcies, and even suicides due to the improper behaviour of its prosecutors.

An interim report by the investigators, published in July 2013, identified bugs in the Horizon system that could have invalidated many convictions. Following this, the Post Office, along with Second Sight and campaigners led by former sub-postmaster Alan Bates, established a mediation scheme in August 2013, which was shut down by March 2015.

Henderson noted that some questions posed 12 months prior to the scheme's closure remained unanswered, indicating a priority on brand protection over sub-postmaster support. He found many prosecuted cases lacked evidence of personal gain, suggesting the losses were likely caused by the faulty system.

He added that the Post Office extensively vetted sub-postmasters before hiring them, making it implausible that many would suddenly turn to crime.

He also pointed out that the Post Office had a disproportionate number of staff in its PR department compared to its legal team.

More For You

Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal recalled that in February, Narendra Modi and Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Trade talks with US moving forward positively, says Indian minister Goyal

INDIA’s commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that negotiations on the proposed trade agreement between India and the United States, which began in March, are progressing in a positive atmosphere and both sides are satisfied with the discussions.

He recalled that in February, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police said they were called just before 08:30 BST on Tuesday, September 9, after the woman reported being attacked by two men near Tame Road. (Representational image: iStock)

Woman raped in racially aggravated attack in Oldbury

A WOMAN in her 20s was raped in Oldbury in what police are treating as a racially aggravated attack.

West Midlands Police said they were called just before 08:30 BST on Tuesday, September 9, after the woman reported being attacked by two men near Tame Road. Officers said the men made a racist remark during the incident.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tommy Robinson

The event, which Robinson has promoted for months, is being billed by him as the 'UK's biggest free speech festival.' (Photo: Getty Images)

London prepares for rival demonstrations, police deploy 1,600 officers

Highlights

  • More than 1,600 officers deployed across London on Saturday
  • Far-right activist Tommy Robinson to lead "Unite the Kingdom" march
  • Anti-racism groups to stage counter-protests in Whitehall
  • Police impose conditions on routes and timings of demonstrations

LONDON police will deploy more than 1,600 officers across the city on Saturday as rival demonstrations take place, including a rally organised by far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, and a counter-protest by anti-racism campaigners.

Keep ReadingShow less
Baiju Bhatt

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. (Photo: Getty Images)

Baiju Bhatt named among youngest billionaires in US by Forbes

INDIAN-AMERICAN entrepreneur Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of the commission-free trading platform Robinhood, has been named among the 10 youngest billionaires in the United States in the 2025 Forbes 400 list.

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Forbes estimates his net worth at around USD 6–7 billion (£4.4–5.1 billion), primarily from his roughly 6 per cent ownership in Robinhood.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mandelson-Getty

Starmer dismissed Mandelson on Thursday after reading emails published by Bloomberg in which Mandelson defended Jeffrey Epstein following his 2008 conviction. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Minister says Mandelson should never have been appointed

A CABINET minister has said Peter Mandelson should not have been made UK ambassador to the US, as criticism mounted over prime minister Keir Starmer’s judgment in appointing him.

Douglas Alexander, the Scotland secretary, told the BBC that Mandelson’s appointment was seen as “high-risk, high-reward” but that newly revealed emails changed the situation.

Keep ReadingShow less