BP Employee Deleted Files From Computer Over Fire

A BP employee has admitted destroying documents after plaintiffs’ lawyers subpoenaed her laptop on an anonymous tip that she had information useful in the lawsuits against the UK oil company arising from its fatal refinery explosion, reports the Financial Times.

Court records show that on November 3 2006, plaintiffs’ lawyers subpoenaed Susan Moore, BP regulatory affairs manager, requesting certain documents and the laptop she has used for the past two to three years in her work for BP.

When plaintiffs’ lawyers questioned Ms Moore on January 26 2007, she said BP had not shown her the subpoena and that she had deleted e-mails in the previous two months.

BP denies any wrong-doing: “No one at BP has been instructed to delete relevant documents,” said spokesman Ronnie Chappell, “We have made it clear that staff are to preserve relevant documents, including relevant e-mails.”
Article cited: Sheila McNulty, “BP Employee Deleted Files From Computer”, Financial Times, February 22, 2007