A Post Office director discussed how to “fetter” the forensic accountants investigating complaints about Horizon software, the inquiry into the scandal has heard. Belinda Cortes-Martin began taking on work for the Post Office as an independent consultant in 2012. She previously spent more than 30 years as a civil servant and held the position of information director for the Ministry of Justice. On Tuesday, Mrs Cortes-Marten was asked by the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry about notes she had added to a request for information from Second Sight, the forensic accountancy firm. In the notes, she appears to suggest the Post Office should consider carefully how it seeks to “fetter” – meaning to restrain or restrict – the investigation. Second Sight had been appointed to carry out an independent investigation into complaints raised about the IT system. More than 900 sub-postmasters were wrongfully prosecuted over a 16-year period as a result of the bug-ridden Horizon system, which falsely recorded shortfalls in their branch accounts. In an email written to the Post Office’s then general counsel in Jan 2014, Second Sight director Ian Henderson raised concerns about the “proposed scope” for the firm’s work. Mr Henderson also said the scope attacked...