Criminal defence case study - assault - cell site analysis

The following is an anonymised case study based on a real assignment conducted by CCL-Forensics for a criminal defence solicitor

CCL-Forensics’ cell site department received an enquiry from a firm of solicitors based in the south of England. Their client had been charged with assault but claimed to have been at home, some 20 miles away, at the time of the alleged incident.

The prosecution had not instructed a cell site analysis expert, but the defence believed that using cell site analysis with their client’s mobile phone records would confirm that they could not have been at the scene of the alleged crime.

CCL-Forensics’ team advised the solicitor what information they would need from the network provider and that they would need to apply to the courts for a production order to get the phone company to release the data.

Using the call data records supplied, CCL-Forensics’ cell site engineers were able to conduct terrain analysis and mapping proving that the accused could not have been at the scene of the alleged assault at the time stated - their mobile phone was at the time using and connected to masts that were near to their home. The phone was proven to be attributed to the defendant.