An investigation into a former Post Office investigator who tampered with a witness statement during the wrongful prosecution of a subpostmaster is underway by the Metropolitan Police as part of the Post Office scandal probe.
Last week, evidence revealed that Graham Ward, a former Post Office investigator, altered a statement from Fujitsu IT expert Gareth Jenkins during the prosecution of Noel Thomas, a former subpostmaster in North Wales. Ward’s second appearance at the public inquiry came just before Jenkins is set to be questioned by the inquiry.
In 2006, Ward deleted a sentence from Jenkins’ statement that confirmed errors in the Horizon system. This was not the first time Ward’s actions came under scrutiny, as evidence from February showed that he suggested Jenkins amend his statement to remove reference to a “system failure.”
Further evidence presented last week showed tracked changes by Ward to Jenkins’ statement, where he removed a line referencing system failures in the Horizon system. Ward defended his actions as a suggestion rather than an instruction to delete the line.
Jenkins, who is currently under investigation for potential perjury in subpostmaster trials, will be questioned by the inquiry this week. The Post Office’s influence on Jenkins’ evidence may come to light during his testimony.
The Metropolitan Police began an investigation into Jenkins and a former Fujitsu colleague in November 2020 after a High Court case exposed faults in the Horizon system. The police confirmed an ongoing investigation into potential perjury and perverting the course of justice related to Post Office investigations and prosecutions.
The public outcry over the Horizon scandal prompted the government and police to take action, with the Metropolitan Police launching a national investigation into the Post Office scandal. It could take up to two years before any individuals face charges.
BCS confirmed that Jenkins resigned his membership, including his Chartered IT Professional status. The organization emphasized ethical behavior and professionalism among its members and stated that any breaches of its Code of Conduct would result in disciplinary action following the completion of relevant legal proceedings.
