MCFPE Case Study

The ‘Smoking Gun’

A gunman is starting a five year prison term after a GMP officer retrieved a deleted image from the memory card on the suspect’s mobile handset which provided critical evidence in the case.

Gavin Whiteman, posed for the terrifying image as he showed off to friends, taking aim with a sawn-off shotgun in front of the camera.  Uisng techniques learned on the Memory Card Forensics course, the GMP officer conducted a thorough examination of the handset to try and find evidence to link the suspect to the shotgun found at his premises.  The photo had been deleted from the memory card and Whiteman subsequently admitted possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Detective Constable Michelle Lomax from GMP said: “Whiteman was arrogant enough to take a picture of himself holding the shotgun on his mobile phone, obvioulsy believeing that he was above the law and would never get caught.”