My Computer Equipment Examination

Various items of equipment were taken from me of which I gave a full account of their use in my interviews.

I also need to mention that my work as a computer engineer has involved storing the files of other users on some of the equipment that was seized.

Of the two items that were claimed to hold illegal images;

1. A 1TB external hard drive they claim contained 13 illegal images, dated from almost 4 years prior to it being seized from me, which were pictures of naked children playing on the beach and other such normal scenarios you may find in a family album, which at the time were considered by Lee Morgan Lewis to be level 1 indecent images, the lowest level and later reclassified as level C:  'Possession of other indecent images not falling within categories A or B.' (whatever this means and depending on who gets to interpret this meaning).
   
2. A Macbook pro which did not belong to me nor which was in my possession on the dates which illegal activity is said to have taken place, but was in my possession when seized, that contained 22 bestiality images, which are classed as extreme images.

A 3rd Item, a desktop computer was claimed by Lee Morgan Lewis to have a virtual machine installed and running on it and the officers during interview made a point of repeating this claim several times.

I however knew and still know different. That computer had no virtual machine installed or used by myself on it and if one did exist, it was installed after it had been seized from myself.

1. 1TB external hard drive

During interview I stated that the 1TB hard drive was almost full and contained everything I ever do as well as acting as a massive back up of data going back many years.

This 1TB hard drive and my other equipment was requested by my legal representatives on many occasions for more than a year and a half before being told it had been damaged.

I myself stated many times, both verbally and in writing to my legal representatives how crucial getting 'independent' access to this equipment was.

I do not know what happened to or was done to this 1TB hard drive whilst in the hands of the police, CEOP and Lee Morgan Lewis.

I can however, other than knowing it has been damaged and inaccessible or unreliably inaccessible come to some likely presumptions based on how the Macbook pro was examined, handled and accessed.

2. Macbook Pro

The Macbook pro did not belong to me, although I accept it was in my possession, but I had no knowledge or reason to believe it contained anything illegal.

It was said to contain 'extreme pornographic material', which in simple terms means bestiality.

You will see under 'Digital evidence gathering procedure' the protocols that should have been used, and if you research other cases that have been presented in court, these protocols are routinely used.

If this had been done it would have been clear 18 months earlier that I was not responsible for anything illegal on this equipment as my own digital forensic team proved.

The procedures with the Macbook pro were either:

• Not carried at all for reasons unknown.

• Carried out badly, presumably more than once since multiple reports were generated, and therefore nothing to help my defence was found.

• Carried out and what was found was not seen as relevant to the defence, nor recorded in any documentation.
  

• Carried out and what was found was deliberately ignored on purpose.

Whatever the reason it is safe to presume they are willing to disregard protocol and ignore certain information for the benefit of the prosecution and to the determent of the defence and ultimately the accused.

I would say from my own defences forensic report that it was close to impossible not to have seen evidence around the Macbook illegal images to determine I was not the one responsible.

The documents above are 2 of many created by my forensic defence team.

These documents include data in very close proximity to what was was found and presented by Lee Morgan Lewis.

The same information found by my digital defence team could easily have been discovered by Lee Morgan Lewis

it is this information that when found and presented by my digital defence team, caused the CPS to come back, after being more than TWO YEARS on bail for these allegations with 'no evidence'.

At the time I assumed they had just done this in my case but it became clear from stories in the news from 2017-18 that this is routinely done, lawyers are aware they do this, and it is ignored.

'Police failing to disclose crucial evidence about defendants, report finds.

A failure to address disclosure 'undermines the principles of a fair trial, which is the foundation of our system'

                                                               -The independent 17th July 2017-

Police are 'trained to hide vital evidence'

                                                                      -The Times April 3rd 2018-

Other anomalies with the Macbook are:

• It was accessed at least twice in write mode after it was seized from myself.

This on its own isn't particularly troubling, it could have been done by accident, although it is bad protocol, but when you consider the following points it becomes very troubling and suspicious.

• The system time had been reset to factory settings and changed.

• No forensic image records or chain of custody records were ever or have ever been provided for this device, or indeed any devices, despite having requested them myself.

My own forensic team in one of their reports state:

• Lee Morgan Lewis was the senior forensic examiner who originally took possession of my equipment from DC Davey.

As stated above (3.6) a forensic copy should have been made for the reasons set out in the ACPO guide.

This initial forensic copy which Lee Morgan Lewis should have made and worked on should also have been provided to my forensic team; yet, the one my forensic team acquired more than a year and a half later was not one created by Lee Morgan Lewis but one created on an unknown date by 'Peter Lane'.

Because of these points there is now no way of knowing if the forensic image provided by Peter Lane is identicle to the one originally handed by DC DAVEY to Lee Morgan Lewis to be examined or if data on the Macbook was accidentally changed or intentionally sabotaged in an attempt to add, change or delete data etc.

3. Desktop Computer (this was my main device)

I only discoverd in February 2015, after I had so far spent 15 months on bail, that Lee Morgan Lewis had left CEOP.

And only a few months later in open court did the CPS state; Lee Morgan Lewis has 'moved on'.

It wasn't until after this my barrister found out any more, but seemed reluctant to find out any further information or make an issue out of it.

Conclusions:

More than 20 digital storage items were taken from me, out of them all only 2 of them, the 1TB external hard drive and the Macbook were claimed to have something illegal on them and coincidentally neither when requested would be given to my defence team.

A year and a half later my defence are informed the external drive has been dropped and is innacessible. 3 months after this we get the Macbook (Having a second device 'dropped' would of course be too suspicious!)  and the illegal activity I am accused of carrying out on this machine is easily proven false and there is evidence, even on the copy provided by Peter Lane that this device many also have been tampered with at the hands of Lee Morgan Lewis/CEOP.

I am very concerned how all this has been kept quiet.

I am very fortunate to know enough about computers to have realised even in interview when the forensic statement by Lee Morgan lewis was being read out, that all was not right, an insight very few others in this position would of had.

I believe by reading out these statements they very much hoped I would plead guilty and these issues with my equipment would not come to light.

It is highly probable that Lee Morgan Lewis would still be employed by CEOP if I had not stood my ground and fought for over 2 years.

How many others has this been done to who ended up pleading guilty to something they did not do, or found guilty in court because of false forensic evidence statements.

OR WORSE;

despite not being guilty they are unable to handle the stress and pressure of family and friends knowing what they are accused of and after months or years on bail they commit suicide!  Which of course then means they are then eternally seen as guilty, when the police knew differently.

How many other cases has Lee Morgan Lewis and other officers such as DC DENISE DAVEY worked on that need looking at again?

If you or you know of anyone who has been dealt with by these individuals or any others and you suspect something similar may have happened, or you pleaded guilty or were convicted when you knew you were innocent, I urge you to contact a reputable solicitor.

I suggest from experience you seek out a solicitor in London or another major city rather than a small local firm; and especially not one in the same town as the police who dealt with you, (but this is another story!)

Don't be afraid to come forward and speak out, it is the fact people do not speak out against authority that they are consistently allowed to get away with corruption and concealment again and again!