Police investigating the Post Office Horizon scandal have announced a dramatic escalation in their inquiry, now considering the possibility of corporate manslaughter charges alongside existing allegations of perjury and perverting the course of justice. This move, revealed in early December 2025, marks a significant and sobering development in what’s widely regarded as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British legal history, according to multiple sources including BBC News, The Independent, and Sky News.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) recently updated victims and the public on the status of Operation Olympos, the criminal investigation into the scandal. The NPCC confirmed there are now eight named suspects, with five of those individuals having been interviewed under caution. The pool of persons of interest has grown to 53—up from about 45 earlier this year—and, as the NPCC told BBC News, most of these individuals are expected to be raised to suspect status as the investigation progresses. So far, no arrests have been made, with police emphasizing that interviews and warrants have sufficed to secure the necessary material.
The investigation’s scope is unprecedented. Officers are combing through more than 1.5 million documents, an effort described as monumental by those close to the probe. The NPCC has confirmed that persons of interest include Post Office investigators, lawyers, and management figures at both Fujitsu—the company that developed the Horizon IT system—and the Post Office itself. The NPCC noted, as quoted by Sky News, that "the primary and sole focus remains the offences of Perverting the Course of Justice and Perjury and this has not changed. However, as was done with fraud offences previously, advice is being sought from the CPS around the offences of Corporate and Gross Negligent manslaughter."
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is now advising police on the possibility of bringing corporate manslaughter charges, a move that shifts the spotlight from individual wrongdoing to the potential culpability of entire organizations. Corporate manslaughter, in the UK legal system, is a charge brought against companies or organizations rather than individuals, holding them responsible for deaths resulting from gross breaches of duty of care. The NPCC is in the process of providing case file material to the CPS, a process that will continue until prosecutors have enough evidence to make final charging decisions.
The roots of the scandal stretch back to 1999, when the Horizon IT system was first rolled out across Post Office branches. The software, developed by Fujitsu, was intended to streamline accounting and operations. Instead, it falsely created shortfalls in branch accounts, leading to wrongful accusations of theft and false accounting against sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses. Between 1999 and 2015, around 1,000 people were wrongly prosecuted and convicted, with more than 900 facing criminal charges and some even sent to prison, according to BBC News. The human toll has been devastating: many victims contemplated self-harm, and some tragically took their own lives while waiting for justice.
Operation Olympos, the criminal investigation, formally began in 2020. A year ago, the effort was significantly scaled up, with a team of about 100 officers working across four regional hubs. The investigation’s expansion followed the conclusion of the public phase of the official inquiry into the scandal, which has been led by Sir Wyn Williams. The first part of Sir Wyn’s final report was published on July 8, 2025, with the second volume expected in 2026. The findings of the inquiry have been instrumental in shaping the police investigation and keeping public attention focused on the ongoing search for accountability.
The struggle for justice received a major boost in public awareness after the broadcast of the ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office. The series brought the stories of affected sub-postmasters into millions of homes, accelerating calls for redress and prompting renewed scrutiny of those responsible. As The Independent and Sky News reported, the investigation is now recognized as "unprecedented" in its scale, with potentially more than 3,000 victims and a vast trove of documentary evidence.
In a notable development, police have appealed to former sub-postmasters who may have signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with the Post Office to come forward. The NPCC has written confirmation that these NDAs will no longer be enforced, clearing a major obstacle that had previously silenced many victims. Officers hope that this will encourage more individuals to share their experiences and contribute crucial evidence to the investigation.
Despite the progress, the wheels of justice are turning slowly. According to the officer leading the investigation, criminal trials arising from the probe may not take place before 2027 or even 2028, as reported by BBC News. The complexity and sheer volume of evidence, combined with the need for meticulous review, mean that victims may face a long wait before seeing those responsible held to account in court.
The NPCC has also emphasized that no arrests have been made to date. Instead, police have relied on formal interviews under caution and the use of warrants to secure additional material. This approach, they say, is effective given the nature of the investigation and the cooperation of those involved. Material relating to some suspects has already been passed to the CPS, and this process will continue as more evidence is gathered.
The investigation’s focus on corporate manslaughter is seen as a watershed moment. It signals a recognition that the harm caused by the Horizon scandal was not the result of isolated mistakes, but may have stemmed from systemic failures at the highest levels of major institutions. If charges are ultimately brought, it would be a rare and powerful statement about the responsibility of organizations to protect those who depend on them.
As the inquiry continues, the scale of the injustice remains staggering. The Horizon scandal has already reshaped public debate about corporate accountability, the role of technology in public services, and the duty of care owed to employees and customers alike. For the hundreds—if not thousands—of victims, the hope is that this latest chapter in the investigation will finally bring the truth to light and ensure that those responsible face the full weight of the law.
The road ahead is likely to be long and complex, but the determination of investigators, campaigners, and survivors remains undimmed. With the possibility of corporate manslaughter charges now on the table, the Post Office Horizon scandal may yet set new precedents for justice and accountability in the UK.
