Post Office Horizon Inquiry refuses legal protection bid from ex-Fujitsu staffer under police investigation

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An ex-Fujitsu worker has seen his request for legal protection in the PO Horizon investigation denied

A former Fujitsu worker under police investigation for perjury has again failed to protect his upcoming Post Office Horizon inquiry evidence from being used against him in any future criminal prosecution.

Gareth Jenkins, who played a key role in the criminal prosecution of subpostmasters, is due to give evidence before the inquiry for four days beginning on 30 November.

On 4 August, for a second time, Jenkins requested inquiry chair Sir Wyn Williams to secure an undertaking from the Attorney General guaranteeing that his upcoming appearances would be inadmissible as evidence in any future criminal proceedings brought against him.

The second attempt was again opposed by victims of the Horizon scandal, while both the Metropolitan Police and Post Office took a ‘neutral’ stance.

After listening to the representations from Jenkins and other groups, the request was again denied by inquiry chair Sir Wyn Williams on 23 October. The chair decided that the legal protections requested were unnecessary in order to complete the inquiry’s goal of achieving a complete understanding of how the scandal unfolded. Sir Wyn Williams explained this is because a ‘very considerable body of evidence’ on Jenkins’ actions was already available to the inquiry.

The same conclusion was reached by the chair when Jenkins first requested the legal protections in 2022. Commenting on Jenkins’ second attempt at achieving the protections, Sir Wyn Williams said: “There has been no alteration in circumstances in relation to the availability of evidence.”

No charges or criminal prosecutions have been brought against Jenkins who maintains the presumption of innocence. It is understood that the Metropolitan Police’s investigation into Jenkins remains ongoing.