Post Office scandal: Met Police launch criminal investigation into 'potential fraud offences'

It comes after the release of Mr Bates vs the Post Office, an ITV drama that tells the story of injustice that struck the lives of around 700 postmasters and mistresses, ITV News' Olivia Guthrie reports

Metropolitan Police detectives are looking at “potential fraud offences” committed during the Horizon IT scandal.

It comes after the release of Mr Bates vs the Post Office, an ITV drama that tells the story of injustice that struck the lives of around 700 postmasters and mistresses who were charged with fraud and theft, based on evidence from a faulty computer system.

Scotland Yard said on Friday evening that officers are “investigating potential fraud offences arising out of these prosecutions”, for example “monies recovered from sub-postmasters as a result of prosecutions or civil actions”.

The Met has already been looking into potential offences of perjury and perverting the course of justice in relation to investigations and prosecutions carried out by the Post Office.

Two people have been interviewed under caution but nobody has been arrested since the investigation was launched in January 2020.

It is not clear whether the investigation has been brought against the Post Office as an entire entity or specific individuals.

Watch the trailer for ITV's Mr Bates vs the Post Office

It comes as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged that his responsibility now is to get compensation to the victims, while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that the money is "overdue."

Mr Sunak said: "My job is to make sure that we’re putting in place the compensation schemes and all those people who were awfully treated, suffered an appalling miscarriage of justice, get the justice that they deserve, and that’s what we’re delivering.

“I’m pleased we’re delivering that and I’d urge anyone affected to come forward and make sure that they can benefit from those schemes.”

Meanwhile, Sir Keir told ITV News: “I thought that programme was really powerful in exposing a scandal, a miscarriage of justice on a very wide scale.

“I actually know some individuals who’ve been caught up with this, and I know the impact it’s had on their mental health as much as anything else.

“Whether she hands back her award is really a matter for her. But I do think there’s a more important point in many senses here, compensation for these victims is overdue.

"It was due in December. The Treasury have… set the money aside, but the government hasn’t paid it.

“So I say to the government, get on and do the right thing and pay the compensation to the victims of this miscarriage.”

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