December 01 2011
In mobile phone analysis, as in many other areas of forensic science, the pressures on police budgets mean that often the bare minimum of forensic work is being done by the prosecution but what is not being done could be critical to your defendant.
In a recent case, the defendant was charged with harassment. He was alleged to have sent numerous text messages to his former partner during a 6 week period. The police carried out an analysis of the defendant’s phone but found no SMS messages to or from the complainant for the period in question. However, neither deleted information nor the connection records retained by the network provider were looked at, which meant that the case was progressing on the basis of one person’s word against another.
When we examined the phone for deleted information, we found 177 text messages received from the complainant during the six week period versus 75 SMS messages sent to the complainant. The messages sent by the complainant included several requesting the defendant called her. Not surprisingly, when our report was served, the case was discontinued.
If you have a similar case where you think all the relevant information may not have been recorded or other matters involving mobile telephone evidence please call one of our mobile phone experts Thomas Marryat or John Corcoran through the Durham office. More information on mobile telephone examination services we offer can be found on our Services page.
