Dad was assaulted and the Police have took his computer (advice needed)

[cheezemonkhai]

To late to back everything up they took the computer 9 weeks ago now when this first happened - why do you say dont trust the police, I can sort of see where you are coming from about they just want to tick boxes and get a result.

I wish I had the software they use as i did my wifes laptop and didnt back her documents up now i cant get them back lol. I thought it was only clusters of the hard drive that have not been re-written on that could be re-covered.

Seems like an intresting job this computer forensics they only dodgy thing they will find is a copy of limewire what he used at times to download music.

You can read sectors that have not been written over.

A format won't stop them getting any old data, but this would:

http://eraser.heidi.ie/

Run that with a three pass over blank space and cluster tips etc and it's unlikely there would be anything left to find.

It's ideally used when selling on old PC's or similar, but also useful when you have confidential information on the hard drive in question which must be deleted so that if stolen it can't be recovered.

[Aspman]

To late to back everything up they took the computer 9 weeks ago now when this first happened - why do you say dont trust the police, I can sort of see where you are coming from about they just want to tick boxes and get a result.

I wish I had the software they use as i did my wifes laptop and didnt back her documents up now i cant get them back lol. I thought it was only clusters of the hard drive that have not been re-written on that could be re-covered.

Seems like an interesting job this computer forensics they only dodgy thing they will find is a copy of limewire what he used at times to download music.

Why not trust the police? Turn it round why should you trust them?

It's not that they will have a grudge against your Dad but that the system as it is now is very impersonal and your Dad is just grist for the mill like any other suspect.

What does a paedophile look like? Anyone and everyone. Your Dad will get no special treatment.

A good way to secure a computer is to use TrueCrypt will the full disk encryption option. It beat the FBI and local police in Brazil recently.

the only thing with that is you can be compelled by court to give the password. Luckily TrueCrypt gives you the option to have a second false password to open a false area. So you can truly give a password but reveal nothing. Not that I advocate obstructing the course of law.

The only way to really prevent access to a disk is massive physical damage.

For selling a drive something like D-Ban Boot and Nuke will clean a drive well enough.

www.dban.org/

[cheezemonkhai]

Why not trust the police? Turn it round why should you trust them?

It's not that they will have a grudge against your Dad but that the system as it is now is very impersonal and your Dad is just grist for the mill like any other suspect.

What does a paedophile look like? Anyone and everyone. Your Dad will get no special treatment.

A good way to secure a computer is to use TrueCrypt will the full disk encryption option. It beat the FBI and local police in Brazil recently.

the only thing with that is you can be compelled by court to give the password. Luckily TrueCrypt gives you the option to have a second false password to open a false area. So you can truly give a password but reveal nothing. Not that I advocate obstructing the course of law.

The only way to really prevent access to a disk is massive physical damage.

For selling a drive something like D-Ban Boot and Nuke will clean a drive well enough.

www.dban.org/

Even massive physical damage won't stop it (I've seen data come off very damaged drives and heard of it being recovered off shot drives) it just makes it a bit more expensive.

If you're writing random data over the drive, then the chances of them getting anything worthwhile back are so small that IMHO it wouldn't be in the public interest to try except in extreme cases.

TBH I'd trust a drive that's been multi-pass, random scrubbed over one that's been shot/opened/broken in terms of not having the data come back.

[justinbarrow]

Its just got me worried that my dad wont get special treatment and i have had a go at him for even letting them near the computer. Chances are it will come back clean apart from limewire? will they do anything about that if they find it :no:

I am worried and waiting does not help but if and im almost certain it will come back clean then I hope something can be done in terms of getting them questioned for false alligations.

Are they police officers then that do the computer forensics The reason i ask is that they have had to send it away somewhere and it isnt being done locally - which will be the reason for not giving it back quickly if nothing is found. The police said that they would send it off only if needed as the scum bag made the alligation about the computer in their defence so cant see why when no charges were brought to them they want to send it off as they told me it costs around £1,000 to check each computer.

I suppose though they have to do it if its a serious alligation and not a petty one. My dad is seeing a solicitor tomorrow so will keep you posted.

Thanks everyone.

[cheezemonkhai]

Look, I've said it a few times now already, but get a solicitor in on it now, before things get serious so that if anything bad comes back, you dad will have been able to prep the solicitor before hand and not when stressed.

If you don't seek proper legal advice you will end up getting shafted should anything appear.

That's the very last thing you want or need.

[justinbarrow]

He is seeing one tomorrow so will keep you posted - cheers.

[justinbarrow]

If you don't seek proper legal advice you will end up getting shafted should anything appear.

That's the very last thing you want or need.

It will be my dad that will end up being shafted but I know where you are coming from, see what this solicitor says tomorrow.

[Captain Sisko]

Hope this gets sorted. Swines like this should get capital punishment.

[Aspman]

Computer will probably go to a 3rd party specialist company. The Police are short on resources for that sort of thing. After that it'll sit in an evidence locker.

At least you're getting some legal advice now.

[justinbarrow]

He went for advice on his computer and the solicitor rangup the station and spoke to a Sargent to ask about my dads property and was told he can get it back only if nothing is found but if there is something on there he will be arrested imidiatley. The solicitor said he will help all he can and if the worst came to the worst then he told my dad to make contact before explaining anything as if this happened he would need legal representation.

Well tonight what did my dad do...he got drunk and phoned me to say he rang the police and shouted loads of abuse down the phone calling them all names (he did this as he could not get over what the solicitor told him) I phoned the police just now and they asked me when was the last time i had spoken to my dad and i said 15 mins agoi thought this was a strange question to ask me, however they confirmed that he was abusive and aggressive and ever since i have come off the phone to them i cant get hold of my dad I just hope they haven't arrested him now.

Surely they would understand his frustrations, I am hoping he has just crashed out asleep. Talk about things getting worse.

Its just a waiting game now for the results of the computer, what company does the computers go to with the post above mentioning that they go to a third party firm, Could give them a ring to see how they are getting along.

I can understand my dad and how he must feel but told him he wont get far after drinking nearly a full bottle of whiskey malt and then picking up the phone.

Edited 7 September, 2010 by justinbarrow

[justinbarrow]

He crashed out in the end and fell asleep now regrets what he did - I told him he was lucky though.

[SnailUK]

Have you not got a spare room you can put your dad up in for a bit?

Sounds like he needs some time with company, to clear his head.

Its a very sad state of affairs, when the victim is the only one who feels the reprocusions of an offense.

[saint1d]

Wow just seen this thread, this sounds like a bad situation.

Best case scenario is there's nothing on the pc and this idiot has just been looking to cause aggro for your Dad.

Worst case is some kind of illegal porn, how the hell can your Dad prove it's not him? Let's face it, if it wasn't your Dad and you read about some guy having child porn and saying it wasn't him, you might think it was some **** and bull story.

Really hope this turns out to be ok for you (and your Dad)

[cheezemonkhai]

Wow just seen this thread, this sounds like a bad situation.

Best case scenario is there's nothing on the pc and this idiot has just been looking to cause aggro for your Dad.

Worst case is some kind of illegal porn, how the hell can your Dad prove it's not him? Let's face it, if it wasn't your Dad and you read about some guy having child porn and saying it wasn't him, you might think it was some **** and bull story.

Really hope this turns out to be ok for you (and your Dad)

Makes a joke of innocent until proven guilty really doesn't it.

If it looks like you might have done it we will assume you're guilty.

[M12MKD]

Shocking this thread is! I feel sorry for you and your dad and really hope that nothing is on the computer.

[skodayouth]

Im shocked reading this post and really hope your father and yourself will recover from this situation

What Im thinking is surely the allegations will not revolve around the laptop alone, surely the police will contact the internet service provider or what have you to perform checks as well?

Did these b****** scumbags ever have access to your fathers computer away from his home, or situations where he was not present?, Being that a laptop is portable and all

[Aspman]

ISP can only identify what data was going to which IP and which customer that IP was associated with at the time the content was downloaded.

They can't tell who was sitting in front of the screen.

[justinbarrow]

:no: My dad is still being harrassed and as such I went to visit my dad with the mrs yesterday and talked to the housing estate manager who also says that this person is praying on other elderly and disabled people on the area where my dad lives, He was telling me how they have approached residents on their own to offer to cook meals and do a bit of cleaning for them for £30 one of these other victims has alzhiamers and managed to get their bank card to get their money for them and ended up getting £200 from their account, then this person has his druggy girlfreind now involved who has also been targeting single elderly men with the offer of cooking a meal or doing a bit of cleaning for £30 but this is where it goes to far she then asks if they want "extras" it will be another £30 when they asked what the extras were they were told "sex" these residents have reported these incidents as its disgusting. Their girlfreind is also well known to the law

However after talking to this housing estate manager we decided to walk up to my dads and i left my car round the corner...when we got to my dads this person was in the house trying to get money from him again So we called the police and by the time they arrived this scum had gone, they didnt even say anything to me or my mrs but if i had hit them or done something then i would be in the wrong and then I would be on the other side of the law, the police said there wouldnt of been much they could of done apart from send them on their way but when the police came they stayed for around an hour with my dad and us even the main person from the housing was called to visit and came aswell as the housing estate manager and they really had a go at my dad because he opened his door to them and they said the next time never open the door. They also said that my dad is ecouraging them by opening the door.

Why dont these type of people just leave him alone.

Anyway its getting so out of hand that what is a nice area for the elderly and vulnerable is turning into a place for these scum to hassel people that are disabled and ill. The police are going to supply all log reports involving everything that has gone on and what the current situation with these scum is with them approaching other elderly people and are going to apply for some court injunction to prevent this person and their associates from coming anywhere near to the area, They told us that it is very hard to get these type of injunctions but given the circumstances and their track record with the law then they feel it can be obtained. The police are also getting statements from the other residents about what they are doing and then once everything has been gathered will go to the courts.

In the meantime the police have "hand delivered" letters to these people to warn them what is happening and that they have not to go anywhere near. Im just hoping the courts will do the right thing.

Its an awful awful mess and hope the corts can do this injunction as these people dont seem to ever get anything done about them

Edited 23 September, 2010 by justinbarrow

[gadgetman]

Can the housing officer not help? Usually they work closely with the police in cases just like this.

Based on all this, have you tackled the police about getting the PC returned?

[justinbarrow]

Can the housing officer not help? Usually they work closely with the police in cases just like this.

Based on all this, have you tackled the police about getting the PC returned?

Cant get the computer back yet as its been sent off 6 weeks ago - I took some legal advice regarding the computer as I told the police that i re-installed windows onto the machine as it was broke, but as I did this before these silly aligations were made i am OK, however if i had done a re-install (after) the allegation then i could of been looked into if there was something found on the computer.

The housing officer and 3 other people from the housing company are working on this with the police and relevant services.

As for the computer I don't know when it will come back as the solicitor told me that he has had clients with their computers sent off and they have taken over a year to come back, so who knows.

[gadgetman]

Ask the housing officer to liase with the police and borrow some covert CCTV setups. Most forces have them for just this kind of thing. The kind of stuff thats hidden in books, smoke detectors etc.

Set them up in known haunts and wait. Let them seal their own fate.

[justinbarrow]

Ask the housing officer to liase with the police and borrow some covert CCTV setups. Most forces have them for just this kind of thing. The kind of stuff thats hidden in books, smoke detectors etc.

Set them up in known haunts and wait. Let them seal their own fate.

Thats worth a go Gadgetman - will be talking to them again on Monday.

[justinbarrow]

Well the housing peoples solicitors went to court on wednesday with quite a few statements from other residents and the police and have managed to ger an injunction against these 2 people to stop them going anywhere near where my dad lives It also has a power of arrest attached to it so they can be arrested if they are on the same estate where my dad and the other victims are.

The judge has given it for 6 months and they are to be served the papers by hand (apparently this is normal) but despite officials watching and waiting outside their houses they havent been able to see them toserve them with the papers and untill they are served the injunction is not in force.

I suppose its only a matter of time before they find them, they will think its undercover police watching them if they are in their house and will just stay in. They then have the chance to go to court on the 1st November to have a chance to defend themselves and if they dont show which they feel they wont the judge can then give the injunction with power of arrest a further 6 months making it in place for a whole year.

We were also told that if they did try to get off and defend themselves then given all the evidence from the police etc the court feel that they would have no chance and any solicitor that they tried to seek help from would tell them or know this is the case.

So things are starting to move in the right direction for a change, still waiting for my dads computer to come back but the CID say its not a priority as nobody is in custody or has been arrested so will just have to wait on that.

Just thought id keep you all updated on whats being done about these scum, My dad certainly feels more better now that they cant come near him.

[sausage roll]

Some good news for you all at last.

This doesn't mean that they will stop though, so warn your dad that they may still come around and that he and his neighbors should still be vigilant.

[gadgetman]

great news. Housing officers can be very good in cases like this.