Criminal defence
Independent Review of Police Phone Downloads
Focused review of mobile extraction material, Streamlined Forensic Reports and the technical interpretation of messages, application data, timestamps and location records.
Direct access to Alistair Ewing · Free initial consultation · Written estimate before work
Test the summary against the underlying material
A police download may contain far more material than appears in a schedule, screenshot bundle or Streamlined Forensic Report. An independent review can test whether the relevant records have been selected accurately, whether surrounding context changes the interpretation and whether the technical labels are being used correctly.
The review is scoped to the live issues and timetable. It may begin with served reports and extraction details, then move to the extraction package if that is necessary and available. Work for applicable criminal proceedings in England and Wales addresses CrimPR Part 19 and relevant forensic requirements.
A focused review may test
- Whether the report or schedule accurately reflects the relevant extraction records.
- Whether messages have missing context, attachments, participants or linked records.
- Whether timestamps, time zones, device clocks or application conventions affect the proposed chronology.
- Whether cached, synchronised, generated or deleted records have been described accurately.
- Whether further work is likely to answer the question or would be disproportionate.
Information that helps scope the review
- The Streamlined Forensic Report and any statements or schedules relying on the phone evidence.
- Extraction type, tool report and approximate size.
- The focused dates, participants, conversations or propositions in issue.
- Details of what has been served and whether the underlying extraction is available.
- The trial date, report deadline and any Legal Aid authority position.
What should the solicitor request before a review?
Start by identifying the report or schedule relied on, the specific passage in dispute and whether the underlying extraction package is available. Record the handset, extraction date, report version, relevant period and any fixed court deadline. The first estimate can separate review of the served material from further work that depends on additional disclosure.
The police phone review material checklist explains what helps, what can wait and why a PDF export may not contain everything needed. There is no need to upload the evidence with the first enquiry.
Limits of a phone-download review
- The review can only assess material made available within the authorised scope.
- Absence from a report does not establish absence from the device or from every possible data source.
- An account or device artefact does not automatically identify the person using it at a particular moment.
- Application versions, extraction methods and incomplete data can limit interpretation.
What helps scope an independent review
- Defendant, complainant and relevant entity names for the conflict check.
- Court, case reference, trial date and required report date.
- The questions in draft or the prosecution proposition to be tested.
- A description of the report, extraction and device material available.
- Funding basis and any Legal Aid prior-authority requirements.
Please do not attach evidence, passwords or confidential case papers to the public enquiry. A secure route is agreed only after the conflict check.
Frequently asked questions
Can you estimate before receiving the full extraction?
Often an initial estimate can be based on the report, questions, extraction type and size. Assumptions are listed and revised if the supplied material differs materially.
Can you review a Cellebrite phone extraction report?
A review can be scoped around material produced by Cellebrite or another extraction platform. The available package, software version, source records and disputed interpretation matter more than the brand. A PDF report alone may not permit every check; missing source material and any further access required are identified in the estimate.
Will every message on the phone be reviewed?
Not unless that is necessary and proportionate. A focused date range, participant set and technical question usually produces a clearer and more controlled instruction.
Read all questions about fees, timing, evidence and instructing Alistair
Initial enquiry
Need an independent review of a police phone download?
Identify the served report or extraction, the passages or records in issue, the case timetable and the proposition to be tested. A secure transfer route follows only after conflicts and scope are agreed.