Disgusting Situation - IT/Legal advice needed

[Damini]

Hey guys - here's the situation. I've got a friend (Sally) who lives in a pub with her bloke (John) and another couple who also work in the pub - Adam, Karen, and their 8 month old baby. Names all changed, of course.

For the past six months, there was a watch left in the bathroom (not in the pub area, but in the living area). Sally and John didn't think much of it.

Not until John came home early and found it plugged into Adam's laptop.

That means there is potentially six months worth of spycam footage of the bathroom. John went crazy, as you would, and chucked Adam, Karen and their baby out. They went to the police, who apparently (!) view this as a private dispute and do not want to get involved. John and Sally have strong suspicions that Adam might have been selling the footage online, as they have been wondering for ages where the hell he gets all his money from.

Because they let Adam leave with the laptop and the watch (threw him out in a rage, didn't really think it through), they have no proof, and Adam is of course denying it all (despite the fact that if you type spy camera watch into google, the first hit you get is that very watch that everyone saw for 6 months). Numerous people have asked me for advice about it, because of the whole scam thing before, but it's a totally different kettle of fish finding someone online and working out who they are, to knowing someone in rl and working out what they do online without access to their pc.

I've told them they should go back to the police, and kick off. Mention the fact that there was a baby in the house. Is there anything else they can do? I've suggested hiring a private investigator, to look into Adam's finances. If you are the one paying the ISP, do you have any rights to check your own records? What are the legal ramifications with spy cameras?

I'm pretty disgusted. It's such a violation. Any advice you guys can give would be gratefully received.

 

[Scouse]

I'd go back to the police too. And when they refuse to deal with this again (because they're thick) then I'd go to a lawyer (he'll advise on standards of evidence and whether there's any point in the first place) and ask him to lodge a complaint with the police.*

Once the rozzers get involved getting the records from the ISP will do the job.




*may not work, but it's what I'd do...

 

[ford prefect]

Damini,

I work very closely with a major police force, and I can tell you now that they will try to fob your friends off with this one simply because of the technology that is involved. All computer crimes departments in pretty much every force are a bit of a joke.They are vastly under budgeted and for the most part very poorly trained. When I come in to contact with them. As such with this kind of thing the police will generally try to get you to drop it.

Under the 2003 Sex Offences Act, Voyeurism carries an 8 month prison sentence and if media has been distributed without consent it can carry a two year sentence and 10 years on the sex offender register.

 

[ECA]

Pretty obviously an offence, but as ford says - computer crime is like OMGWTFBBQ for the police.

 

[ford prefect]

Incidentally here is the legislation:

Sexual Offences Act 2003

It is Part 1 Section 67 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

The police can arrest him and they can send his laptop off to be checked as well as checking any logs on the ISP in question and they can look at his bank statements to check the sources of any income and how he earned that money.

 

[Chilly]

its a fucking shame that the police are living in the 50's and crime is most definately living in the 2010's

 

[DaGaffer]

I know the internet is full of wierdos, but is there really a lucrative market for low res 15fps video of people sat on the bog?

 

[Wij]

It's certainly not a 'private dispute'. Go back to the police.

 

[gunner440]

I know the internet is full of wierdos, but is there really a lucrative market for low res 15fps video of people sat on the bog?

Yes. I, I mean I know that some people pay a premium for 30fps videos. Thing is, it's all about the lighting really.

 

[Scouse]

Be aware that if your mates' been watching pr0n or downloading movies the police will 'do' him for that just for the fun of it tho...

 

[nath]

I know the internet is full of wierdos, but is there really a lucrative market for low res 15fps video of people sat on the bog?

You can be really judgemental sometimes .

 

[Tom]

So if the police have fobbed them off, the next step is a visit to their MP. Then suggest that footage of their very underage child may have been recorded, and that the police aren't interested.

That should put a rocket up someone's backside.

 

[yaruar]

Definately go back to the police and if they refuse to do their jobs then go to the local press.

 

[nath]

So if the police have fobbed them off, the next step is a visit to their MP. Then suggest that footage of their very underage child may have been recorded, and that the police aren't interested.

That should put a rocket up someone's backside.

Then call the Daily Mail, I know a guy...

 

[Wazzerphuk]

You ARE the guy.

 

[rynnor]

If the police arent interested might be worth trying social services about the child being exposed to that guy - if they get involved the police may be forced into action and tbh theres probably a lot more money in kiddie porn than from bog shots of random folk so it would make more sense as his source of income.

 

[SheepCow]

I suspect with the help of a lawyer you could effectively RIPA/DPA yourself and get the records your ISP holds on you.