Met Police Probe Launched Over Post Office Horizon Scandal
The Metropolitan Police are cracking down on the Post Office over “potential fraud offences” tied to the infamous Horizon IT scandal. The probe, confirmed last Friday, targets the mishandling of funds recovered from sub-postmasters wrongly prosecuted.
Investigation Targets Fraud and Perjury
Launched back in January 2020, the inquiry digs into possible perjury and “perverting the course of justice” linked to the scandal. Thanks to Horizon, the Post Office pushed through more than 700 prosecutions, leading to criminal convictions and even jail for unlucky sub-postmasters caught in the web.
Sub-Postmasters Left Devastated
Many innocent workers were strong-armed into guilty pleas or haunted by jail threats. Lawyers say this pressure ruined lives, costing jobs, homes, and life savings. Some were forced to cough up cash to repay supposed missing funds – all based on faulty IT evidence.
Public Outcry and Calls for Accountability
The scandal struck a nerve nationwide, with over half a million signing a petition demanding the former Post Office boss’s CBE be stripped. Paula Vennells, who ran the Post Office during the mess, has since said she’s “truly sorry” for the misery caused to those wrongfully convicted.
