Post Office scandal: Potential Horizon victims in Bedfordshire urged to contact police

Bedfordshire residents caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal are urged to contact Bedfordshire Police so they’re involved in a police investigation.

During the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) & Chief Constable Accountability Meeting this week (January 29), the PCC, Festus Akinbusoye asked if Bedfordshire Police had been involved in the investigation of any post office sub postmasters or mistresses as part of the scandal.

“If yes, and in light of the new evidence now emerging, does the force have any role to play in supporting the victims who were wrongly arrested, charged and possibly convicted, of a crime they did not commit?” he asked.

The chief constable, Trevor Rodenhurst, replied: “The Post Office obviously had its own investigatory powers and therefore it led on the investigations. But in terms of the scandal itself, and the current response to it, there is a Metropolitan Police led investigation nationally,” he said.

“To my knowledge, we don’t have any victims to date in Bedfordshire, but that isn’t to say there aren’t any and that they won’t come forward.”

The chief added that Bedfordshire Police is meeting up with the Met, firstly to see if the Met needs support.

“But also probably to coordinate the response to victims locally,” he said. “I don’t want to prejudge that, but there is a coordinated policing response.”

The PCC said: “When an injustice starts to get more publicity victims have a bit more confidence to come forward and speak about what’s happened to them.

“If someone in Bedfordshire was a victim of that injustice… can residents be assured that Bedfordshire Police… will support them as best as they can?” he asked.

The chief said: “Come forward to us and we’ll make sure that they get properly connected to the investigation.”