Police officers investigating the Post Office Horizon IT scandal are now considering corporate manslaughter charges.<\/p>\n
In an update, shared with victims in the past few days, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said the investigation was currently focused on eight suspects, with five interviews conducted under caution.<\/p>\n
It said there were now 53 persons of interest, most of whom were likely to be raised to suspect status at a later stage in the probe.<\/p>\n
The NPCC said while the investigation continued to focus on offences of perjury and perverting the course of justice, they were also considering charges of corporate manslaughter.<\/p>\n
The Horizon IT system, which began operating in 1999, falsely created shortfalls in Post Office branches for which sub-postmasters were held liable.<\/p>\n
The scandal has been called the UK’s most widespread miscarriage of justice.<\/p>\n
More than 900 people were prosecuted and some went to prison. Some died while waiting for justice.<\/p>\n
The criminal investigation into the scandal, Operation Olympos, began in 2020. A year ago, a team of about 100 officers was launched in four regional hubs, scaling up its activity after the end of the public phase of the inquiry into the scandal.<\/p>\n
Officers are now appealing to any former sub-postmasters who may have signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with the Post Office to come forward, after it was confirmed that the NDAs would no longer be enforced.<\/p>\n
The NPCC said: “The primary and sole focus remains the offences of Perverting the Course of Justice and Perjury and this has not changed.<\/p>\n
“However, as was done with fraud offences previously, advice is being sought from the CPS around the offences of Corporate and Gross Negligent manslaughter.”<\/p>\n