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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Post Office in-house lawyer Rodric Williams told the Horizon IT Inquiry that he had “sought to” meet his professional duties. But counsel questioned his role in the Post Office’s handling of media, subpostmaster concerns, disclosure and litigation. The phrase “failed his own” is a journalistic criticism of the evidence heard—not a formal finding by a court or professional regulator.
What did Rodric Williams do at the Post Office?
Williams’s evidence in the inquiry’s Phases 5 and 6 covered several areas of the Post Office’s response to Horizon-related concerns. Computer Weekly described him as working across media responses, subpostmasters’ concerns, engagement with the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), and litigation and disclosure issues. Inquiry counsel Jason Beer KC called him “the point man for media relations in the Post Office’s legal team”. That was counsel’s characterization, not an independent finding about Williams’s formal responsibilities.
Williams gave evidence on 18 and 19 April 2024. The inquiry’s 18 April hearing page identifies him as a former litigation lawyer and then Head of Legal (Dispute Resolution & Brand) at Post Office Ltd, and provides a transcript and exhibits. Computer Weekly’s account of the hearing was published on 22 April 2024.
Why did counsel question his professional duties?
Counsel challenged whether Williams had met his duties to the court and the requirements of his professional code in his work on matters before the inquiry. Computer Weekly reported that Williams said he had “sought to” discharge those duties. That exchange records a challenge and his response; it does not establish a disciplinary breach.
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What was the dispute about disclosure?
One issue concerned an email from an external solicitor proposing an approach to avoid disclosing Post Office investigation guidelines. Computer Weekly reported that Williams acknowledged he had not disagreed with the approach. Asked about intervening, he said: “I would like to say I did that, but I didn’t.” The significance of the exchange is the proposal and his response as reported—not proof, by itself, of a legal or professional violation.
Which other Horizon-related issues were raised?
Computer Weekly’s account also describes scrutiny of Williams’s response to the CCRC, the Dalmellington bug, the Post Office’s group-litigation strategy and the Clarke Advice concerning expert Gareth Jenkins. These were distinct strands of questioning and documentary material, rather than a single allegation. The article recounts counsel’s propositions and the material put to Williams; it should not be read as establishing that every proposition was accepted or proved.
The report also quotes Williams apologising: “I’m truly sorry, you know, that I’ve been associated with this, I’m truly sorry.” Edward Henry KC then described him as “in the middle of the web” and “part of it.” Those statements are attributed to the hearing participants; they are not formal findings.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the evidence does—and does not—establish
The hearing record and the reporting serve different purposes. The official inquiry page provides the transcript and exhibits for the 18 April session; Computer Weekly offers a readable account of the questioning and its chronology. For the full context of a particular exchange or document, consult the transcript and exhibits alongside the report.
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The evidence described here concerns Williams’s testimony on 18 and 19 April 2024 and the events and documents discussed during it. It establishes that counsel challenged his conduct and that he responded to those challenges. The sources cited here do not establish a professional disciplinary outcome or a formal finding that he breached his duties. The Computer Weekly account is available at “Post Office lawyer was a jack of all trades, but failed his own”.
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