A seasoned Post Office investigator, Stephen Bradshaw, has refuted accusations that he and his colleagues behaved like “Mafia gangsters” while handling investigations into subpostmasters. Bradshaw, a Post Office employee since 1978, defended his professional conduct during a public inquiry into one of Britain’s worst miscarriages of justice related to the faulty Horizon IT system.
The scandal involved criminal cases against nine subpostmasters, including Lisa Brennan falsely accused of theft in 2003. Bradshaw, accused of bullying and inappropriate behaviour by fellow sub postmistresses, dismissed the claims, maintaining the professionalism of his investigations.
Bradshaw, who joined the investigations team in 2000, insisted he was not informed about issues with the Horizon IT system and asserted that his investigations were conducted in a professional manner. However, he admitted regretting signing witness statements drafted by lawyers that asserted no problems with Horizon.
Ex-Post Office investigators have alleged bonuses for successful prosecutions and seized funds from subpostmasters. Bradshaw acknowledged receiving bonuses but denied any connection to the number of cases he handled. He clarified his involvement in a 2010 self-appraisal, describing it as a “flamboyant way” of explaining his actions.
The public inquiry’s intensity increased after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced new legislation to exonerate convicted Post Office branch managers in the Horizon IT scandal. Sunak committed £1 billion for compensation to affected subpostmasters and their families, calling it one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in the nation’s history.
Despite ongoing revelations, public and media interest in the scandal surged, partly fueled by ITV’s drama, “Mr Bates v The Post Office.” Justice Secretary Alex Chalk acknowledged the significant financial impact on taxpayers and stated that if Fujitsu, the designer of the Horizon system, is found at fault, the firm should face consequences. Fujitsu employees and former employees are scheduled to provide evidence in the upcoming weeks of the ongoing Public Inquiry led by retired judge Sir Wyn Williams.
