Fujitsu sponsors Met sports team despite police inquiry

FUJITSU gave thousands of pounds to the police to sponsor its sports teams while former company staff were under investigation over the Post Office scandal, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

Team Police announced in May 2023 it was “delighted” to have secured support from Fujitsu aimed at increasing “wellbeing… for the policing family”.

The Metropolitan Police is currently investigating allegations of fraud and perjury as a result of the defective Horizon IT system, supplied by Fujitsu, to the Post Office that led to hundreds of wrongful convictions.

Two former Fujitsu employees were interviewed under police caution but not arrested, including Gareth Jenkins, the chief architect of the IT system.

Fujitsu contacted Team Police last week, in the wake of the ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office, to say the IT company would not be attending any police sports events for the foreseeable future.

Team Police will now come under pressure to give back the money. Fujitsu is understood to have given a sum just under £10,000.

Retired Det Ch Supt Gavin Thomas, a board member of Team Police, said in May: “I am looking forward to welcoming Fujitsu to our fantastic events and engaging with the services through sport.”

Fujitsu has supplied IT throughout government, including to police forces.

Ian Campbell, the executive officer at Police Sport UK, said he had reassurance from Fujitsu that none of its representatives would attend any planned sporting events.

“They are not coming and we are not sending out the invites,” Mr Campbell said, adding: “We have not told them to stay away. They volunteered that. They contacted us and said ‘we will stay away’. I wasn’t involved in that call.”

Mr Campbell said the Fujitsu branding does not appear on police sports kit, although its name remains visible on the Team Police website.

He added that any decision about handing back the sponsorship money would be decided at a future board meeting. Under the deal, the Fujitsu cash is intended to support “30 different police sports”, representing forces across the country. Police Sport UK facilitates sports for both serving and retired officers.