A witness at the public inquiry into the Horizon scandal has denied Post Office investigators “behaved like mafia gangsters” and bullied postmasters and sub-postmasters during interviews.
Stephen Bradshaw, who was an investigation manager for the Post Office, accused Jacqueline McDonald of telling him a “pack of lies” during an investigation into a £50,000 shortfall.
Ms. McDonald, who was later jailed for 18 months, was one of around 700 postmasters and sub-postmasters wrongly accused of fraud because of an error in the Horizon accounting software made by the Japanese firm Fujitsu.
At least one committed suicide as a result of being falsely accused by the Post Office.
Denies Interview was ‘Oppressive or Aggressive’
Mr. Blake said Ms. McDonald has claimed she was “bullied” by Mr. Bradshaw during an interview, but he said the defence team at her trial never accused him of being “oppressive or aggressive.”He said he rejected the claims made about him by Ms. McDonald and said, “I refute the allegation that I am a liar.”
“I also refute the claim that Jacqueline McDonald was bullied, from the moment we arrived, the auditor was already on site, conversations were initially (held) with Mr. McDonald, the reason for our attendance was explained, Mr. and Mrs. McDonald were kept updated as the day progressed,” he added.
The investigator added: “Ms. Jacqueline McDonald is also incorrect in stating Post Office investigators behaved like mafia gangsters looking to collect their bounty with the threats and lies.”
The inquiry heard extracts of an interview Mr. Bradshaw conducted with Ms. McDonald, in which she said, “I don’t know where the money is, I’ve told you.”
He replied: “You have told me a pack of lies.”
‘Horizon Integrity Could Have Wider Impact on Business’
Mr. Blake claimed Mr. Bradshaw “pressed on” with investigating her because the issue of, “Horizon integrity would have a wider impact on the business.”Mr. Blake showed the witness his “self-appraisal” of the McDonald case, in which Mr. Bradshaw wrote, “The offender pleaded guilty to false accounting but would not accept theft. I challenged the recommendations of the barrister and persuaded him that a trial would be necessary, as the reason given by the defendant, Horizon integrity, would have a wider impact on the business if a trial did not go ahead.”
Mr. Blake then asked him, “It seems, certainly from your own feedback, from your own appraisal, that you saw it as in some way career-boosting to press on with Ms. McDonald’s case because of problems with the Horizon system having a wider impact on the business, do you not accept that?”
“The issue would have been discussed with the prosecution barrister, as you’re well aware, when you’re filling in one-to-ones, there’s always a flamboyant way of putting the words across,” Mr. Bradshaw replied.
The public inquiry, which began in 2021, has previously looked at the human impact of the scandal, the Horizon system roll-out and how it operated and is now looking at how postmasters were investigated and prosecuted.
It is chaired by retired judge Sir Wyn Williams, who intervened at one point on Thursday to challenge Mr. Bradshaw about a key report by an expert witness, which had been provided in the case against another sub-postmistress, Seema Misra, but was not among the documents included in the disclosure report in the McDonald case.
Witness Questioned About Disclosure of Documents
Sir Wyn picked him on this point and said, “Invariably the chief investigating officer becomes the disclosure officer ... so the chief investigating officer has the responsibility for ensuring that all that should be disclosed in that statement is disclosed because he or she is putting their name at the bottom, correct?”He added: “So at the very least, before you put your name to the bottom, if you are going to assume that Mr. X, a lawyer in the criminal law department is going to provide some documentation to the defence, should you not liaise with him to ensure that that is done?”
Mr. Bradshaw replied: “I understand what you’re saying, and what I’ve said is that all the information I add to hand was sent to to the lawyers.”
The inquiry continues and is expected to hear evidence from key witnesses from Fujitsu next week.
Earlier this week, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said Fujitsu could be held financially liable for the Horizon scandal, depending on the outcome of the public inquiry.
