After a 5 day trial, Former Guernsey Police officer, Aaron Cusack was found guilty of intending to pervert the course of justice.
During the Trial he admitted to accessing a mobile phone belonging to an alleged rape victim before it was examined by the Digital Forensic Unit.
The ex-Detective had previously admitted to 3 counts of failing to disclose information, as he had withheld his passcode and passwords for his phone, laptop and tablet computer after the devices had been seized as part of the investigation. He claimed that this was due to fears of professional embarrassment and for reasons of privacy.
The Prosecution told the Court that Cusack had been part of an investigation into an alleged rape and had pressurised the woman, with whom he had dealt with previously, to drop a complaint. They further alleged that he then accessed the Complainant’s phone to assess whether any messages were present between him.
The Defendant failed to mention that he had previously held an online relationship with the Complainant prior to his involvement in the investigation.
The prosecution argued he did so in order to view messages that could be damaging to him.
It was noted in court that Cusack failed to disclose aspects of his own online relationship with the complainant prior to being involved in the investigation.
Cusack was bailed to return to be sentenced on 25 September 2023.
The officer had been sacked in 2021 as a result of a Professional Standards investigation carried out by Guernsey Police.
About Athena Forensics
For information on our digital forensic services or if you require any advice or assistance please contact a member of our team on 0330 123 4448 or via email on enquiries@athenaforensics.co.uk, further details are available on our contact us page.
Our client’s confidentiality is of the utmost importance. All correspondence is treated with discretion, from initial contact to the conclusion of any mobile phone or computer forensic investigation.
Our digital forensics experts are fully aware of the significance and importance of the information that they encounter and we have been accredited to ISO 9001 for 10 years.
Our forensic experts are all security cleared and we offer non-disclosure agreements if required. Our premises along with our security procedures have been inspected and approved by law enforcement agencies.
Athena Forensics do not disclose personal information to other companies or suppliers.
