Mr. Fisher (FTS Cell Site Engineer) successfully charted the cell site locations of the principal subject Mohammed Jahangeer during a crucial enforcement period when 10kgs of heroin was recovered from various couriers being directed by Jahangeer. The evidence against Jahangeer was comprised mainly of telephone analysis and during the trial; Mr. Fisher was able to explain its complexities in a manner that the jury could understand. Prosecuting Counsel Mr. Smith praised Mr. Fisher for the quality of his work and the way in which he presented his evidence, which was a key part of the prosecution case.

On behalf of the Operational Team will you kindly pass on my sincere thanks to Mr. Fisher.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Fewkes

Detective Superintendent

Head of Crime Operations, South Yorkshire Police

One of the benefits of this approach is that it allows the forensic examination of a device even when it is password protected or physically damaged. There is also the added possibility of retrieving deleted information.
Currently this service is available for a number of models in the Pearl, Curve, Javelin and Bold ranges.  The list of models supported is constantly being expanded, so for the latest advice and pricing please contact us.

The UK-based digital forensics company, Forensic Telecommunications Services (FTS) Ltd. announces today that it has been successfully awarded accreditation to ISO 17025:2005 – and, in a UK first, the laboratory has been assessed and granted accreditation for its specialist techniques used in physically recovering deleted data from mobile phones, mobile phone memory chips, BlackBerry* handsets and the Apple iPhone*, as well as the more common standard data recovery techniques.

The ISO 17025:2005 accreditation is the same international standard that is a legal requirement for forensic laboratories providing DNA evidence to the National DNA Database in the UK.

Of particular note is the inclusion of the leading edge forensic techniques of Physical Data Acquisition and “Chip-Off” digital forensics, where the data storage memory chip is removed from the device’s electronics board and the data extracted and translated directly. This innovative forensic technique, which can also be performed on Blackberry devices, completely bypasses the handset lock codes and any encryption that may be being used.

The importance of this vital data extraction technique, used mainly for deleted data recovery, was highlighted recently when it was employed by Durham Constabulary in the Ashleigh Hall murder investigation. The deleted mobile phone evidence recovered by FTS contributed in part to the guilty plea by – and life sentencing of – the Facebook sex stalker Peter Chapman.

FTS is also the first completely independent and dedicated digital forensics laboratory in the UK to complete the accreditation process. The full range of Mobile Phone Forensics services commonly used by law enforcement agencies are all included in the accreditation schedule.

What this accreditation means for police and public sector customers is that alongside a cost effective forensic service, Chief Officers can be confident they are using an independently assessed and accredited process for gathering mobile phone evidence, thereby reducing their current risk in this very important area of forensic investigation.

FTS managing director, Shaun Hipgrave, said: “I am exceptionally proud of the whole Phone and Hi-Tech forensics team and their accomplishment in obtaining this prestigious accreditation. It is testimony to our commitment to advanced forensic research and development that FTS is the first UK laboratory whose accredited services include physical memory extraction – or ‘HEX Dumps’ as they are sometimes known – chip removal forensics and the very latest iPhone extraction methods.

“The Forensic Science Regulator has identified ISO 17025:2005 as a foundation standard for forensic science in the UK and we can now evidence that a small dedicated team can achieve the regulator’s standard requirements, while still operating in the exceptionally cost sensitive arena of public sector service providers.”

FTS was an early adopter of ISO 17025:2005 in digital forensics, having started this project in January 2008. The company is intending to extend its accreditation scope to embrace its other digital forensics services, including Cell Site Analysis, with all services being included by the end of 2012.

* BlackBerry is the registered trademark of Research In Motion, Limited. iPhone is the trademark of Apple, Inc.

Full press release can be found here:

http://www.pressdispensary.co.uk/releases/c992741.php

West Mercia Police welcomed the guilty verdicts at Worcester Crown Court recently, saying they feared he would have gone on to commit even worse attacks on women.
Farooq, aged 30, of Sansome Place, Worcester, showed no emotion as the jury delivered its unanimous verdicts.

The defence had maintained that Farooq was a victim of mistaken identity. But the prosecution said clothing found at his home was similar to that described by the victims. The attacks were not caught on CCTV, but cameras did pick up a man with a similar distinctive gait to Farooq in the vicinity and mobile phone records proved he was in the area at the time of the attacks.

One of  FTS’s Expert Cell Site engineers, on analysing the call data and carrying out surveys in Worcester, found that it was highly unusual and interesting because there were no call or text records as such, just an ongoing GPRS connection for the whole period analysed. The whole area of concern and the defendant’s address was served by one 3G cell, but in the alleyway and in places in the old town centre where the attacks had taken place, the 3G coverage was weak and the phone dropped back to 2G. This created a new call record and start cell when it happened but crucially there were 2 microcells used which only covered a small area in the town centre. One cell was the only server in the alleyway (Market Passage), the other cell was near the other end of the passage. This proved vital in pinpointing Farooq’s location around the time of the attacks.

Judge Toby Hooper, delivering his verdict, described the offences as ’serious’. “ I’m concerned as to whether you pose a significant risk of serious harm to the public and by the background to the offending which involves predatory behaviour and stalking of young women.” Farooq was warned to expect a significant custodial sentence.

DC Matt Cartwright, of West Mercia Police said after the hearing: “Mohammed Farooq caused much distress. His alarming behaviour was escalating, worrying officers greatly.”
Regarding the work carried out by FTS on their behalf he said “FTS provided a fantastic service that became integral to the investigation and the eventual guilty verdicts. It was particularly useful that before we had even taken up their services FTS took the time to provide us with a schedule of what realistically could be achieved with their work – invaluable.”

FTS were commissioned by the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit to carry out Cell Site Analysis in respect of nine telephones believed to have been used by those suspect of the murder of Michael Gilbert.

This analysis was in two parts, the first to attribute one or more of the telephones to the address common to all of the suspects, whilst the second concerned the deposition site.

Both of these were successfully achieved and FTS were able to evidentially report attribution to house as well as place two of the handsets at the Blue Lagoon at a pertinent time.

The jury at Luton Crown Court took six days to return the verdicts on the following defendants.

•    James Watt was sentenced to a minimum of 36 years imprisonment for Murder together with 8 months for Perverting the Course of Justice and a further 18 months for a second count of Perverting to the Course of Justice. To be served concurrently.

•    Natasha Oldfield was sentenced to a minimum 18 years imprisonment for Murder, 7 years for Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice and 18 months imprisonment for Assisting an Offender. To be served concurrently.

•    Nichola Roberts was sentenced to a minimum 15 years imprisonment for Murder and 18 months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice. To be served concurrently.

•    Robert Watt was sentenced to 41/2 years in a Youth Offenders Institute for Familial Homicide (causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult), 31/2 years for one count of Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice, both to be serviced consecutively, together with a further 18 months for one count of Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice which is to be served concurrently.

•    Jennifer Smith-Dennis was sentenced to 61/2 years for Familial Homicide (causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult), 3 ½ years for one count of Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice, both to be services consecutively, together with a further 18 months for one count of Conspiracy to Pervert the Court of Justice which is to be served concurrently.

•    Richard Watt was sentenced to 6 years for Familial Homicide (causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult) and 6 years for Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice which will be served concurrently.

After the sentencing Michael Gilbert’s family, led by Mum Rosalie White and his three brothers and sister, Chrissy, Aaron, Victor and Patricia extended their thanks to Judge Bevan, members of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Team who help investigated the case, Family Liaison Officers who supported them throughout the case, and Senior Advocate Beverley Cripps and Queens Council Mr Stuart Trimmer.

The gangs luck ran out on 12 January 2009, when following a robbery at Ladbrokes in the West of Newcastle; Northumbria Police quickly attended the area and after a short but dangerous vehicle pursuit arrested the culprits.

Reay, Robson and Tams who are well known to local police, made no admissions during interviews.

A lengthy protracted investigation ensued in which the specialist forensic services of North East FTS mobile phone engineers Mr Steve Donohoe and Mr Paul Bolton were enlisted at an early stage of the enquiry.

Using the specialist bespoke FTS HEX M-FILTER® software and forensic investigation of integral memory cards the engineers were able to extract substantial ‘text’ data from a number of mobile phones to include a Sony Ericsson W880i and a Nokia 2630 confirming association between the gang.

Northumbria Police later commented; “The content of the text messages was particularly important confirming meetings between the gang members. These appeared before the commission of an offence and in one case also identified a gang member texting; that if he got a hard time off his partner could he say he won the money on the fruit machines. It just so happened that the amount quoted was his share of the proceeds!”

The overall telecoms evidence combined with the very extensive additional corroborative evidence as achieved by Northumbria Police was overwhelming, and in subsequent hearings at Newcastle Crown Court, the offenders Robson (aka Ovington) and Tams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob.

Taking the matter to a two week trial the offender Reay was also found guilty.

When passing sentence in December 2009, His Honour Judge Esmond Faulks said he had no option but to pass an indeterminate sentence. Reay was jailed for 12 years for each offence, to run concurrently.

Robson (aka Ovington) received an eight-year jail term, with an extended licence period of four years. Tams was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.

Judge Faulks commended officers involved in the investigation to include the Officer in Charge D/Sgt Neil Whitehead.

Neil later commented following the very successful result:
“I can say that the early use of FTS was useful in interpreting vital information for remand purposes and collectively with other telecoms information provided later by other sources, was invaluable in proving the conspiracy.”

FTS stand at HOSDB

Shaun Hipgrave, MD FTS, was pleased to demonstrate some of FTS’ latest products to Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones at the recent HOSDB exhibition held in Farnborough.  Baroness Neville-Jones was shown iXAM, the only truly non-jailbreaking tool in iPhone forensics.   He also summarised to her the FTS role in supplying a Digital Forensic Service into the Criminal Justice System.  FTS had an excellent HOSDB exhibition receiving visitors from over 20 international delegations as well as the UK domestic Law Enforcement Agencies.  In his role as Deputy VP of the ADS Security Sector Board, Shaun also escorted Baroness Neville-Jones around the exhibition and hosted round table discussions with HOSDB, UKTI DSO and ADS.  Earlier at the show Shaun Hipgrave also introduced Lord Davies the Minister for Trade to other Security SMEs who were exhibiting there.  In his role on the UKTI Security Directorate Advisory Group Shaun was able to articulate to the Minister some of the challenges SMEs face in establishing or increasing export sales.

Shaun HIPGRAVE will take up the post of Managing Director with immediate effect. A former police officer with Northumbria Police, Mr. Hipgrave joined FTS in 2003 and has been the company’s Commercial Director since 2005. He served for nine years in the British Army and 13 years in the police service, mainly working in serious crime investigation. He has spent the last 10 years advising on telecoms investigations in major enquiries.

Mr Hipgrave developed the FTS Telecoms Investigators course in 2005. Accredited by Teesside University, the course has been delivered to more than 700 detectives and telecoms analysts in the UK and abroad. He has a BA (Hons) degree in Criminology and Law from the University of Northumbria.

Mr Hipgrave will lead a restructuring programme which aims to re-focus FTS services around the needs of UK law enforcement agencies and respond to the growing pressures they face to deliver improved services at a time when public sector investment is under pressure.

Shaun Hipgrave said “I am deeply honoured to have the opportunity to lead FTS over the next phase of our development. These are challenging economic times in the UK and I want to ensure that FTS is supporting all of our partners within the Criminal Justice System as well as offering unrivalled best evidence at a cost effective price.

My first priority will be to offer our public sector partners solutions which deliver more value while continuing to provide high quality digital evidence for criminal investigations.

At the same time, I will also be hoping to build on FTS’ excellent international reputation in transferring our vital knowledge and technologies in the digital forensics field to support the fight against the growing threat of global terrorism.”

FTS was founded in 2000 by Jonathan Clark MBE FRSA in response to a growing need within the law enforcement community to recover and access digital evidence from telecommunications devices and to analyse network records for criminal investigations. FTS pioneered Cell Site Analysis in the UK and the first commercially available flash memory chip-level Mobile Phone Forensic services in 2003. Latest innovations include the first fully forensic iPhone imager (reader) and advanced memory chip removal and reading services for damaged and broken mobile handsets.

The changes will allow Mr Clark MBE to concentrate his energies on developing other business projects.

These board level changes sound the starting pistol on an ambitious plan for the next ten years that include opening up more opportunities in the UK for digital forensics products, services and training, increasing partnership arrangements with UK Law Enforcement agencies and developing further FTS’s already strong connections with international policing agencies.

FTS will be exhibiting at HOSDB 2010 on stand ED2 with iXAM, SIMiFOR, Seeker and RAPTOR forensic products. Please contact us to book a private meeting or demonstration in advance.