Criminal trials linked to Post Office Horizon scandal could wait until 2028
Commander Stephen Clayman said police are 'making some real progress' but warned it would take time as they widen the investigation from people 'involved in the immediate decision-making'.
He told the BBC: 'The teams need to be really meticulous and pay attention to detail.
'We are beginning to scope, looking at wider management. That will happen, and is happening, it will just take time to get there.'
Commander Stephen Clayman is one of the officers leading the investigation, known as Operation Olympos (National Police Chiefs' Council/PA)
The investigation, known as Operation Olympos, is focusing on potential crimes of perjury and perverting the court of justice, linked to the wrongful prosecutions of sub-postmasters and the wider presentation of the Horizon IT system.
Police have said the inquiry is 'unprecedented' in size, with potentially more than 3,000 victims and evidence currently including more than 1.5 million documents that have to be reviewed and forces across the UK involved.
No decision will be made over potential criminal charges until the public inquiry into the scandal has published its final report and investigators have 'thoroughly reviewed' its contents.
It is understood that dozens of people have been classed as persons of interest in the investigation. The investigation has identified seven suspects, according to the BBC.
Former sub-postmaster Tim Brentnall told the BBC victims were 'desperate to see some kind of accountability', but backed the need for police to 'do it properly'.
More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts.
Hundreds are still awaiting compensation despite the previous government saying that those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for £600,000 payouts.
The scandal is one of the most widespread miscarriages of justice in British legal history.
A Post Office spokesperson said: 'Post Office has co-operated fully and openly with the Metropolitan Police since early 2020 to provide whatever information it needs for its investigations.'
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No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Andy Tobias, who was eight when his father Lieutenant Colonel John Tobias, 41, was killed, said: "My childhood was stolen from me because someone decided my dad and his colleagues should be put on a helicopter that was not fit for purpose. 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We will now seek a judicial review into the Ministry of Defence's decision to deny the families truth, transparency and justice." The Ministry of Defence said: "The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident, and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died." The MoD spokesperson added: "We understand that the lack of certainty about the cause of the crash has added to the distress of the families. "We provided a detailed and considered response to the pre-action protocol letter stating the reasons why we cannot accept the demand for establishing a new public inquiry. "It's unlikely that a public inquiry would identify any new evidence or reach new conclusions on the basis of existing evidence. The accident has already been the subject of six inquiries and investigations, including an independent judge-led review." It is understood the sealed documents contain personal information relating to third party individuals and the early release of this information would breach those individuals' data protection rights.
