2012 Annual Report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner
strategy was devised. A mobile telephone was identified for the suspect from overt police
intelligence systems. Location data was acquired and analysis of this demonstrated that
the suspect had been in the vicinity of the Post Office and had then travelled to the area
of the abduction before returning to the vicinity of the Post Office. This was overlaid with
location data from the Postmaster’s phone which showed similar movements immediately
before and after the abduction.The location data also showed that the suspect had been in
the vicinity of where the car was stolen the day before. Seven applications were submitted
during this investigation and the communications data that was acquired directly led to the
arrest of the suspect. A search of his premises revealed a fake firearm together with gloves
and a balaclava worn at the time of the abduction.The communications data was pivotal to
the investigation and excellent quality analytical charts were prepared for Court. In June
2012 at Leicester Crown Court, the offender pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and
kidnapping and was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment. He also pleaded guilty to firearms
offences and was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment to be served concurrently.
Case Study 5 – South Yorkshire Police - Operation Anzac
This investigation commenced following the report of the suspicious death of Ildiko Dohany,
who was found beside her car in September 2011. Three suspects were arrested close to
the scene and a number of mobile phones belonging to the victim and the suspects were
seized for forensic examination.The computers belonging to the victim and a suspect were
also examined. Initially, incoming and outgoing call data and location data was acquired on
the mobile phones attributed to the victim and suspects. The analysis of communications
data was crucial in discrediting the account given by the main suspect regarding his and the
victim’s movements. It was suspected that the suspect used the victim’s phone after her
death to support his false version of events. The analysis of the communications data also
assisted the team to acquire Automatic Number Plate Recognition data and CCTV which
covered the movements of the victim’s car and the suspects on foot. Furthermore, analysis
of the suspect’s contact with the victim in the weeks before her death revealed a pattern
of behaviour where he was accessing the stored email communications between the victim
and her boyfriend. Following repetitive reading of these emails, the suspect then made
telephone contact with the victim. In June 2012 at Sheffield Crown Court, Martin Vernasky
denied murdering Ildiko Dohany, but was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to
six years imprisonment.
7.5.2 Intelligence Agencies
The intelligence agencies are subject to the same type of inspection methodology and scrutiny
as police forces and LEAs. Communications data is used extensively by the intelligence agencies,
primarily to build up the intelligence picture about persons or groups of persons who pose a real
threat to our national security. For the most part the work of the intelligence agencies is highly
sensitive and secret, and this limits what I can say about my inspections of these bodies.
During the reporting year all three of the intelligence agencies were inspected. My inspectors
were satisfied that the agencies are acquiring communications data lawfully and overall they are
achieving a good level of compliance with the Act and Code of Practice. The applications are
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