Distrust, Bias And Incompetence At The SFO

The much-anticipated reports by Sir David Calvert-Smith and Brian Altman QC into failings at the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in their Unaoil and Serco investigations were published on 21 July. As Lisa Osofsky, Director of the SFO said on their publication the reports "are a sobering read".

Background

On 26 April 2021 the trial of R -v- Woods and Marshall collapsed at Southwark Crown Court when the SFO offered no evidence. The case concerned the SFO's prosecution of Mr Woods and Mr Marshall, both former directors of Serco, in relation to allegations of false accounting concerning the provision of electronic monitoring services within the criminal justice system: an investigation which commenced in October 2013. The collapse of the trial followed the discovery of significant disclosure problems with the trial Judge refusing the SFO's application for an adjournment. In May 2021, Lisa Osfosky commissioned Brian Altman QC "to examine the circumstances, facts and