The police criminal inquiry into the Post Office Horizon IT scandal could be delayed by five years unless it receives millions in extra funding and nearly 100 additional staff, according to the chief officer in charge. Metropolitan Police Commander Stephen Clayman said he needs to nearly double the number of investigators to 210 to meet a deadline of late 2027 or early 2028 for submitting files to prosecutors.
The Home Office recently provided a special grant of £2.8 million, but Clayman said the projected budget is up to £19.3 million, leaving a £16.5 million shortfall. Without the extra resources, he warned that the timeline could be pushed back by as much as five years, which he described as unacceptable for victims who have already waited decades.
The investigation, codenamed Operation Olympos, is described as unprecedented in scale and is the first to examine potential offences of perjury and perverting the course of justice by those who made key decisions on Post Office investigations. Police have already gathered 8 million documents, a number expected to grow, and have interviewed seven more suspects under caution this year, bringing the total to 13 out of 53 under investigation.
More than 900 post office operators were prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 due to faulty Horizon accounting software from Fujitsu. The scandal has been called the worst miscarriage of justice in British history. Police are awaiting the full publication of Sir Wyn Williams's public inquiry before moving to charging decisions.
Clayman stressed the complexity of the investigation and the high threshold for criminal charges. He noted that the team has been bolstered to over 100 officers but needs to double to 210 to meet the proposed timeline. He added that officers have already submitted several files for early investigative advice from prosecutors.
