Email - sam@raincock.co.uk     Call -  01434 600635
Email - sam@raincock.co.uk     Call -  01434 600635

Sam Raincock Consultancy

Forensics & Expert witness in IT, Security and Telecommunications.
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Sam Raincock Consultancy was formed in 2009 (incorporated 2011) providing consultancy and expert witness services in computer forensics and telecommunications including full handset analysis (Android and iPhone forensics) and Encrypted/spoofed device use (EncroChat (including Operation Venetic data), Sky and Cloud9 etc.), cell site analysis and cases involving location forensics including trackers telematics or GPS and also location evidence on other devices.  SRC is also able to take instructions in cases where there is a combination of various different types of digital evidence.  SRC can also provide an overview of a case and advise regarding digital forensic areas that may require further exploration and which are the best sources for evidential value.

SRC specialises in serious and complex crime including instructions in cases involving Terrorism offences, Murder/Manslaughter, Sexual offences against/involving minors, firearms offences, gangs and large level supply of drugs.   SRC also takes instructions in cases involving the possession/making/taking/distribution of indecent images and serious fraud/theft as well as in odd-ball/bespoke digital forensic cases.   Sam undertakes expert level instructions providing opinions involving the evaluations of data to interpret the meaning/reason for the presence of digital data.   She is experienced in reviewing cases involving multiple devices, 10,000+ page bundles and/or technical issues requiring the production of detailed jargon free reports/statements of over 30 pages in length.  Typically an instruction is 40-60 hours, however, this can be up to 250 hours (with a minimum of 25 hours) as required with LAA (legal aid) rates available (where applicable).   Private/Consultancy rates can also be provided where required.

Note that all instructions including for appeals are only undertaken via a solicitor, direct access barrister, law centre or corporate legal department.   SRC does not accept direct instructions from members of the public due to the complexities involved in cases as well as strict expert witness rules.    In such an instance, please provide SRC's contact details to your legal team. 

Sam Raincock is the principal scientist at SRC and has previously worked with a number of large corporations as a consultant digital expert dealing with legal cases and incident responses.  In the past she has also taken instructions in cases involving the General Medical Council, banking/financial sector, medical sector, football association etc.  She has also provided expertise to the police in specialist cases. 
Previous cases include (all links are external and open in new browser tabs/windows):

Murder/Attempted Murder/Manslaughter:
  • DPP v Joe O'Reilly (cell site analysis - murder).  2007 (second scientist) and case review.
  • DPP v O (cell site analysis – murder (acquitted)).  May 2008.  Article in the Irish Independent including comments about Sam Raincock's evidence.
  • R v Eusop Milne (cell site analysis – murder and attempted murder). June 2008 and retrial July 2009.  News Article on BBC News.
  • R v Christopher Caunter (cell site analysis - murder).  November 2008.  Article on BBC News Site
  • DPP v Gerald Barry (cell site analysis - murder).  March 2009.  Article in Irish Times.
  • R v Glenn Rycroft (computer evaluation – murder). June 2009.  Article in the Telegraph
  • R v Christopher Morrissey (cell site analysis - murder)  December 2009.  News article on BBC News Site.
  • DPP v Jakub Fidler (computer and security evaluation - murder).  July 2010.  Article in the Irish Independent Newspaper
  • R v H (cell site analysis - murder (acquitted)).  December 2011.  
  • DPP v Garrett O'Brien (cell site analysis and connection evaluation - murder). June 2011 and retrial November 2012.
  • R v Mohammad Ali (cell site analysis and sat nav evaluation - co-defendant in the Dale Cregan Trial, assisting an offender accused of murder).  June 2013.  Article on BBC News Site.
  • R v Suraj Mistry (cell site analysis – murder charge reduced to manslaughter).  September 2016.  Article on BBC News
  • R v Edward Dooley (telecoms evidence – Conspiracy to murder).  February 2017.  Article in the Echo.
  • R v Michelle Spencer (telephone and Facebook evidence – murder).  June 2017.  BBC News Article.
  • R v M (cell site analysis - assisting a person under 16 with respect to Murder).  November 2017.
  • DPP v Marian Lingurar Jnr (telecoms evidence analysis - manslaughter).  Irish Independent News Article.
  • R v Adebayo Amusa (telecoms including cell site analysis and tracker/GPS analysis - murder).  April 2019 Suffolk Police Report.
  • R v S (Cell site analysis and tracker evidence – Murder (Acquitted)).  July 2019.
  • R v Kurrum Guild (Cell site analysis, attribution and tracker - Murder).  September 2019  West Midlands Police Report.
  • R v Abdirazac Hussein Abdi (Cell site analysis - Murder).  November 2020.  BBC News Report.
  • R v Nathan Braim (Tracker/telematics - Murder).  February 2021.  BBC News Report.
  • R v Paul White (Cell site analysis and Phone handset evidence including location based evidence - Murder charge reduced to Manslaughter).   April 2021.   BBC News Report.
  • R v H (Cell site analysis and phone handset evidence including location based evidence - Manslaughter (Acquitted)).   July 2021.
  • R v K (Cell site analysis - Appeal against Murder).  September 2021.
  • R v P (Cell site analysis - Attempted Murder (acquitted)).   November 2021.
  • R v Lewis Aquilina (Cell site analysis and Device Forensics - Murder and Robbery).   April 2022.   BBC News Report.
  • R v L (Detailed Chronology of Phone Use and Location Evidence - Murder reduced to Manslaughter).    January 2023.
  • R v P (Cell site analysis - Murder reduced to Manslaughter).   January 2023.
  • R v U (Cell site analysis - Murder (acquitted)).   May 2023.
  • R v Connor Chapman (Digital Forensics - Murder).   July 2023.  BBC News Report.
  • R v Tyler Hunt (GPS/Electronic tagging - Murder).   January 2024.   BBC News Report.
  • R v Ayaanle Ali Adan (Network Forensics - Two counts of Murder).   January 2024.   BBC News Report.
  • R v Josh Hawthorn (Cell site analysis - Murder and Robbery).  July 2024.  CPS Report. 
  • R v Minor (Device Forensics - 3 Attempted Murders).   October 2024.    BBC News Report.

Terrorism Offences:

Sam takes instructions in cases involving a variety of terrorism offences including bomb hoaxes, possession of articles, mindset material, memberships of prohibited organisations and examining for evidence in cases involving alleged planning of acts of terrorism.   Previous examples of cases include:
  • R v Adam Thomas (computer analysis - terrorism offences).  December 2018.  BBC News Article.
  • R v Minor (digital forensics - terrorism offences).  January 2020.
  • R v Ataubaq Taj (digital forensics - terrorism offences).  November 2020.  BBC News Article.
  • R v T (digital forensics - communicated false information after BAE was told of a bomb on one of its submarines).   October 2021.
  • R v Rayan Saab (digital forensics - terrorism offences).   January 2022.  BBC News Article.
  • R v Nuh Raheel (digital forensics - terrorism offences - found not guilty of the contested charges at trial).   May 2022.  Met Police Report.
  • R v Alex Davies - (digital forensics - terrorism offences, specifically being a founding member of NA and also NS131, those being banned organisations).   June 2022.   BBC News Article.
  • R v A (digital forensics - terrorism offences).   December 2022.
  • R v Steven Donovan (digital forensics - stirring up racial hatred, dissemination of terrorist material, possession of a knife in a public space, possessing racially inflammatory material and extreme pornography).  BBC News Article.
  • R v Luke Skelton (digital forensics - terrorism offences including planning an act of terrorism).   July 2023.  Counter Terrorism Report.
  • R v B (computer forensics - conspiracy to cause a bomb hoax) - Acquitted.   August 2023.

Sexual Offences:
Sam is experienced in working on a large number of cases involving the making, possession and distribution of indecent images of children, extreme imagery and prohibited images.  She is familiar with caselaw in this area and regularly provides indications of categorisation of imagery to check charges are appropriate to assist the Court.   She specialises in cases which require detailed analysis of the circumstances of creation of alleged illegal material including where attribution is in dispute and cases where the use is technical and/or involves a technical defence (including hacking and viruses).

She is able to fully assess all types of phone handsets (including iPhones and Android devices) and tablet devices as well as computers (including Windows, Unix, Linux and Macs).

Sam also takes instructions in rape cases including cases involving minors and is aware of the sensitivities of these types of matters including in the requirements for the examination of complainant's devices.  Sam also prepared an article in May 2019 featuring in the Independent discussing use of data on rape complainant's phones.

Example sexual offence cases include:

  •     R v Undisclosed (computer evaluation - police officer in possession of indecent images). October 2013.
  •     R v Robul Hoque (computer evaluation - prohibited images). October 2014. This was a test case in Crown court. Article in Gazette.
  •     R v K (Disclosure issues, Phone content, Wifi Usage and Cell site analysis – assault by penetration - Acquitted). July 2017.
  •     R v Undisclosed (Computer evaluation - Rapes of minors by minor including issues of mental capacity). January 2018.
  •     R v M (Telephone content - 4 Rapes - Acquitted). August 2018.
  •     R v K (Mobile handset content - Rape (Acquitted)). February 2019.
  •     R v S (Mobile handset content and disclosure issues - Rape (Acquitted)). January 2020.
  •     R v S (Mobile handset content and disclosure issues - engaging in sexual activity with a minor) . February 2020.
  •     R v Minor (Mobile handset content - Assault by penetration involving minors (Acquitted)). June 2021.
  •     R v Y (Computer evaluation - importing a prohibited item (childlike sex-doll) and making indecent images of children). September 2021.
  •    R v Undisclosed (Computer evaluation - Possession of IIoC - charges substantially reduced due to incorrectly charged imagery based on previous caselaw and other inappropriate charging). January 2022.
  •    R v Undisclosed (Phone Evaluation - police officer accused of possession of imagery).  March 2023.
  •    R v Undisclosed (Computer evaluation - Possession and Distribution of IIoC - charges substantially reduced and found not guilty at trial).   January 2024.
  •    R v M (Computer and Disk Use - Historical Sexual Offences, Possession of IIoC, Prohibited images and Extreme Imagery).   September 2024.


Fraud/Insider Dealing/Money Laundering/Theft/Burglary Offences:
  • R v Adu Bunu (computer evaluation for credit card skimming - cash machine fraud).  July 2008.
  • R v Neten Shah (computer and telecoms evaluation - insider dealing).  July 2012.  At the time of this trial, this was the largest FSA investigation conducted into insider dealing.  Article in Telegraph Newspaper
  • DPP v Heather Perrin (computer evaluation - Ireland Judge accused of deception).  November 2012.  Article on BBC News Site.
  • R v Imran Rasab (telecoms, connection charting, data analysis, SIM cloning and computer evaluation - £2.8 million fraud against Vodafone).  April 2014.  Article in Yorkshire Post.
  • R v Mmaduike (scammer/phishing case involving computer and program code analysis – Fraud (acquitted) and Money Laundering of over £½ million).  February 2017.
  • R v Turner-Miller (computer evaluation - Rent to Buy Fraud).  November 2018.  News release in Northern Echo.
  • R v Enamul Karim (computer evaluation - With others over £13 million tax fraud).  November 2018.  HMRC Press Release.
  • R v Matthew Cobley (computer evaluation - £400K Payment Protection Insurance Fraud).  January 2019.  Daily Mail Article.
  • R v Philip Sharrock (cell site analysis and connection charting - £1/2 million car burglary gang). April 2019. Article in the Metro.
  • R v Scott Leaver (cell site analysis and connection charting - London moped gang raids and burglaries).  May 2019. Guardian News Article.
  • R v May, May & Mills (computer evaluation - £300K VAT and income tax fraud). May 2019.
  • R v Abdul Nasim & Shaun Sutherland (telecommunications including cell site analysis - £440K burglary spree including ram-raids). Birmingham News. June 2020.
  • R v Z (computer evaluation - fraudulent evasion of duty).   Case pursued by HMRC and dropped in July 2019 after SRC's report.
  • R v Brian Thexton (cell site analysis, connection charting and attribution - Conspiracy to Burgle and Steal over £1 million of high value items and ATM thefts). January 2020. Northern Echo.
  • R v Leon Woolley (cell site analysis - part of a large-scale money laundering operation involving in excess of £100 million in cash).  November 2022.  CPS Report.
  • R v S & K (large amounts of telecoms evidence including cell site analysis and issues of attribution - part of a large-scale tiger kidnap setup involving theft of over £900,000 - both acquitted).    February 2023.
Sam has also worked as a defence consultant on large fraud cases involving SFO prosecutions which have later been dropped resulting in substantial compensation.


Drugs/County Line Cases:

  • R v Sajmir Xhakrosa (telecoms and cell site analysis - conspiracy to supply with others over £4 million of drugs per year).  February 2014.  Article in Daily Mail.
  • R v Zimnako Rashid (connection charting, attribution and cell site analysis - estimated total of £1 million cannabis ring). June 2018.  Teesside Gazette.
    R v Colin McNally (telecommunications including cell site analysis – conspiracy to supply class A drugs including 3.5Kg of heroin).  June 2018.  Article in the Chronicle.
  • R v Timothy Fisher (telecommunications including cell site analysis - conspiracy to supply class A drugs with an estimated total of over £1 million).  January 2020.  BBC News Site.
  • R v John Allcock (telecommunications and Sat Nav analysis) - conspiracy to supply class A and 65Kg of class B (cannabis) drugs and money laundering.  February 2022.  Northumbria Police site.
  • R v M (telecommunications - importation of drugs to a value of £8 million) - Acquitted.    January 2024.

Sam is currently undertaking a substantial number of Encro Phone cases (EncroChat) as part of Operation Venetic.  This has involved the assessment of various digital evidence including assessing the Encro Phone data and Cell Site Analysis.   These cases mainly involve the alleged importation of drugs at over the 1kg level.   Sam has conducted in the order of 2,000 hours of research, development and casework involving the data in these cases since August 2020.   Sam was instructed in the trial for the lead defendant and main EncroChat case involved in R v A,B,D & C (Sub-Zero).


Other Serious/Key Cases:
  • DPP v Niall Byrne (connection evaluation - robbery and tiger kidnap).  2009 & retrial December 2011.  At the time of the first trial, this was the longest running trial in Ireland.  Caselaw Report
  • DPP v Stephen Freeman (telecommunications including cell site analysis - kidnap and attempted robbery from the Bank of Ireland).  August 2014.  Irish Independent Article.
  • R v Nick Parker (telecommunications analysis – Sun journalist accused of aiding and abetting misconduct in public office (acquitted).  Convicted of accessing MP's phone).  December 2014.  Article on BBC News
  • R v L (cell site analysis - kidnap and blackmail (acquitted).  Retrial December 2015.
  • R v Abdul Tadafer (Telecommunications Forensics - Conspiracy to Breach immigration law in alleged trafficking of people as part of a gang stated to have made £1.2million).   May 2017.  Daily Mail Article.
  • R v Christopher Hutcheson Snr, Christopher Hutcheson and Adam Hutcheson (computer evidence/hacking - unlawfully access Gordon Ramsay Holdings Limited's systems).  June 2017.  Guardian News Article.
  • R v Darren Berkeley (cell site analysis, telematics, connection charting and attribution - False imprisonment, Blackmail, Kidnap, Firearms offences, Wounding - charges reduced to Blackmail only). October 2019.  BBC News Report.
  • R v Barry Lynn (Cell site analysis - Possession of a Firearm and Section 20 assault).  March 2021.  Northumbria Police Report
  • R v L (Cell site analysis - Firearms offences).  July 2022.   BBC News Report.

Bespoke computer system testing cases:

Sam has performed testing in legal cases to determine the functionality of software.   This is often performed by Sam in cases to determine the functionality of a system and data stored on devices.   However, she has also provided assistance in cases where the charges related solely (or majorly) in relation to computer systems and resulting data.   She has investigated such data, including if errors are presented  to determine the full reason why certain data has been created by a computer and its meaning and limitations.   Such case examples include:

  • A substantial number of Encro Phone cases (with these cases still ongoing) in relation to the evaluation of Europol collected Encro Phone handle data.   Sam has worked on leading cases in this area and has performed more than 2000 hours of casework as research since August 2020 when she received her first datapacks.
  • Testing an NHS based hospital system to determine the meaning of logged data access including the level of medical data accessed (charges were reduced due to Sam's findings).
  • Testing a bespoke hospital system to determine the data stored, and its meaning to investigate the death of a patient.
  • Testing a military used system and computer to determine conclusions that could be made in relation to the data stored (case dropped in 2019).  
  • Reviewing the system and procedural assessments involving a police officer accused of unauthorised accessed (acquitted). February 2017.
  • Testing a banking system/procedures to establish the integrity of data with respect to internal access (acquitted).  November 2015.
  • Testing a bespoke police based system to determine the meaning of logged system data.
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