How long does this all take? I am ever so worried...
Notifications OFFHi everyone,[/b] I’ve been reading through this forum for quite a while now, and I finally feel the need to reach out for some support and clarity. I’m really struggling to understand what’s happening and would appreciate any advice from those who’ve been through something similar. Here’s a brief summary of the situation: A few months later, the police attempted to extend his bail, but the court refused. Around that time, social services visited to check on the wellbeing of our children. They were satisfied with everything, and they haven’t returned since (they only came once). Since then, my husband has not been living with me. He’s only allowed to see the children under supervision—either with myself and my brother present. This has been our situation for the past four years. Now, out of the blue, my husband called me to say that a plain-clothed officer visited his flat and invited him in for a voluntary interview, which is scheduled for this Thursday. I’m left with so many questions. Why has it taken the police this long to follow up? Why are they inviting him for another interview after so many years of silence? Previous officers on the case have left the force, and the case was even passed to a different police station. I’m feeling incredibly confused and overwhelmed. Any insights or advice would be truly appreciated. Thank you for reading. S
My husband was arrested back in 2021. The police came to our home, seized all of his devices, and took him into custody. He spent the day in a holding cell, was interviewed after indecent images were found on his phone, and then released on bail.
If this was serious, wouldn’t he still be under bail conditions?
The most likely explanation is the one you have already identified. The paperwork has been passed around to many different officers, which means no one has done anything with it, until just recently. I expect that many of the people on here who have been waiting three years or more, are experiencing the same thing.
But the fact that he has been invited for an interview means something is now happening.
But the fact that he has been invited for an interview means something is now happening.
Exactly this happened to my person.
the officer in charge left. They still charged them even after 4 years of being released under investigation.
the officer in charge left. They still charged them even after 4 years of being released under investigation.
@T2021
Thanks for sharing your experience. We just found out in the second interview what the main issue is.
There is 1x category b moving image lasting 6 minutes found on his phone. He completely denied in the interview ever talking to a child and that he believes that someone else had access to his phone.
What was shocking is that the police did not send his laptop and iPad for forensic analysis. Especially the fact that his laptop is his main device.
The officer said that if never takes 4 and half years for cases like this and that they are embarrassed by how it has been handled.
The solicitor was incredibly confused by it all as well. What is the likelihood of this case reaching a NFA?
The police (judging by the solicitor's response) did not do a thorough investigation. There needs to be a pattern of behaviour found on his devices in order to charge him without reasonable doubt.
After his voluntary interview ended the OIC said it will be sent to the reviewing officer to see whether it gets sent to CPS or not...
Thanks for sharing your experience. We just found out in the second interview what the main issue is.
There is 1x category b moving image lasting 6 minutes found on his phone. He completely denied in the interview ever talking to a child and that he believes that someone else had access to his phone.
What was shocking is that the police did not send his laptop and iPad for forensic analysis. Especially the fact that his laptop is his main device.
The officer said that if never takes 4 and half years for cases like this and that they are embarrassed by how it has been handled.
The solicitor was incredibly confused by it all as well. What is the likelihood of this case reaching a NFA?
The police (judging by the solicitor's response) did not do a thorough investigation. There needs to be a pattern of behaviour found on his devices in order to charge him without reasonable doubt.
After his voluntary interview ended the OIC said it will be sent to the reviewing officer to see whether it gets sent to CPS or not...
@edel2021
The image that was found is 1x indecent image of a child (category b). They saw a screen recording of a video call where someone was telling a child what to do while she did it.
The video call happened on a different device and the screen recording of the video call was found on his phone...
He said he is absolutely sure that someone was on his phone and that he has never spoken to a child online.
The part that really annoys me is that the police did not bother to examine his laptop or iPad... What if something more sinister is on his laptop?
The whole point of an investigation is to make sure to find a pattern of behaviour. He told the police his main device at the time was his laptop not his phone.
The shocking part is that the police offered to give his laptop and iPad back without even checking it? It's so strange I've never seen a case dealt like this..
What if he is 100% serious and that he has never started a call with a child? Especially if there are no other proof showing this behaviour?
The image that was found is 1x indecent image of a child (category b). They saw a screen recording of a video call where someone was telling a child what to do while she did it.
The video call happened on a different device and the screen recording of the video call was found on his phone...
He said he is absolutely sure that someone was on his phone and that he has never spoken to a child online.
The part that really annoys me is that the police did not bother to examine his laptop or iPad... What if something more sinister is on his laptop?
The whole point of an investigation is to make sure to find a pattern of behaviour. He told the police his main device at the time was his laptop not his phone.
The shocking part is that the police offered to give his laptop and iPad back without even checking it? It's so strange I've never seen a case dealt like this..
What if he is 100% serious and that he has never started a call with a child? Especially if there are no other proof showing this behaviour?
We've been waiting nearly 2 years. OH arrested and Bailed for 10 months, then he got RUI and was allowed home. Was your OH aloud home at all? I haven't heard from SS they visited a few times and that's it. OH had 2nd interview and case got sent to CPS that was back in January and we haven't heard anything since.... it's a joke but if you get another officer and it changes hands then it gets put to the bottom and things missed. A close relative waited 6 months to be interviewed which is a joke as it should of been done straight away!
hope you get sorted soon
hope you get sorted soon
Sorry to hear you are going through this too. I missed your original post and was just about to post something similar.
For us the knock was Feb 22 and second interview March 24, over a year ago, and then literally nothing since.
Have we been forgotten? Has the OIC left? Who knows..... it's so frustrating.
Life has been on hold for over 3 years and I am so done with it all. The timescales are unreal and completely unfair on the partners and families of the accused
For us the knock was Feb 22 and second interview March 24, over a year ago, and then literally nothing since.
Have we been forgotten? Has the OIC left? Who knows..... it's so frustrating.
Life has been on hold for over 3 years and I am so done with it all. The timescales are unreal and completely unfair on the partners and families of the accused
Hi @EllBee
It's incredibly frustrating like you said... I believe it's because their cases aren't in the priority and just gets "forgotten" in someways but eventually do get picked up
its down to the solicitor to get updates. My ex's case is extremely unique and the police are in a tough spot because they can't prove he knowingly saved what was found on his phone..
So the last thing he was told after the second "voluntary" interview is that the case will be reviewed by the reviewing officer (this was last month) and since then he hasn't heard updates
I urge you to get updates from solicitor and wish you all the best x
It's incredibly frustrating like you said... I believe it's because their cases aren't in the priority and just gets "forgotten" in someways but eventually do get picked up
its down to the solicitor to get updates. My ex's case is extremely unique and the police are in a tough spot because they can't prove he knowingly saved what was found on his phone..
So the last thing he was told after the second "voluntary" interview is that the case will be reviewed by the reviewing officer (this was last month) and since then he hasn't heard updates
I urge you to get updates from solicitor and wish you all the best x
Hi @Stich123
yes he was allowed back home and similarly SS came and closed the case within the second visit
this case isn't your typical IIOC case where it shows it was downloaded or sent to them through a chat
its must more confusing and police at the moment I feel are not confident to send it to CPS
My ex might be lucky and get a NFA because it's been over 4 years and he hasn't got the resources to build a defence which would have been available to him if the police kept him updated x
yes he was allowed back home and similarly SS came and closed the case within the second visit
this case isn't your typical IIOC case where it shows it was downloaded or sent to them through a chat
its must more confusing and police at the moment I feel are not confident to send it to CPS
My ex might be lucky and get a NFA because it's been over 4 years and he hasn't got the resources to build a defence which would have been available to him if the police kept him updated x
Hi Suzie
I'm intrigued to read "My ex might be lucky and get a NFA because it's been over 4 years and he hasn't got the resources to build a defence which would have been available to him if the police kept him updated"
Can you explain this some more please? Is this documented somewhere?
It would make sense to me that the police should only have a limited amount of time in which to bring charges. It doesn't seem humane to leave someone dangling for evermore never knowing whether charges are coming or not. But is it written anywhere?
Thanks xx
I'm intrigued to read "My ex might be lucky and get a NFA because it's been over 4 years and he hasn't got the resources to build a defence which would have been available to him if the police kept him updated"
Can you explain this some more please? Is this documented somewhere?
It would make sense to me that the police should only have a limited amount of time in which to bring charges. It doesn't seem humane to leave someone dangling for evermore never knowing whether charges are coming or not. But is it written anywhere?
Thanks xx
That's what we all hope for but from what Iv been told a lot of things get sent to the CPS, some people wait 5+ years so I don't hold much hope for any news anytime soon. Even if the CPS send it back for whatever reason they don't have to tell you so it can go back & forth without you even knowing, our solicitor asks for updates every 28 days and it's always the same. The case for us is very complicated, I reached out to my social worker for some support and she ignored me. Haha, the officer in charge Iv reached out and complained and I just get ignored.
x
x
Stitch did SS reopen the case when he was allowed home or did you all just go back to 'normal' while you are waiting.
Nope it never got reopened. Everything went back to "normal" whatever that is now but I haven't heard anything from SS since it happened 2 years ago
That's awful do you just carry on with it hanging over you have you been able to have holidays etc. my husband can't do his job while this hangs over us so he is earning minimum wage and we are struggling
Basically yeah /: while he was on bail we couldn't but he got put on RUI which has no restrictions, so we can go away and stuff but we haven't my OH owns his own business luckily it's kept busy and he has a lot of support. But I'm struggling been diagnosed with BP disorder and I don't go out very much. It's hanging over us and has been for nearly 2 years even though things are moving its still an extremely slow process. Only advice I can give you which has helped me is keep your circle small, I removed a lot of people from socials and only talk to my close friends and family. Keep your chin up and reach out when you need to x
Hi @Runawaygirl
I'm so sorry I've been inactive on this forum to try and forget about all of this but just saw your comment. Regarding my now ex husband, if he were to be charged with the image that was found on his device (it turned out that a category b moving image was found on his phone.. it's a video chat that took place on instagram. the video chat took place on a separate device and a screen recording of the call was found on my ex's phone) it would be unfair for him based on his solicitor
This is because the Instagram account in question that the video call took place is no longer on Meta's data (Instagram states that they don't keep records after 2 years) so he can't even prove to the judges that he did not access the account when the offence took place
He told me, the solicitor and the OIC that he used a publicly available Instagram account to like posts from his own personal Instagram account... It's a big mess and I know CPS will just flip a coin on this case... If it does go to court my ex has a strong defence because the police never even stated whether the image was viewed or not..
It's now coming to 5 years since this case all started... Tragic x
I'm so sorry I've been inactive on this forum to try and forget about all of this but just saw your comment. Regarding my now ex husband, if he were to be charged with the image that was found on his device (it turned out that a category b moving image was found on his phone.. it's a video chat that took place on instagram. the video chat took place on a separate device and a screen recording of the call was found on my ex's phone) it would be unfair for him based on his solicitor
This is because the Instagram account in question that the video call took place is no longer on Meta's data (Instagram states that they don't keep records after 2 years) so he can't even prove to the judges that he did not access the account when the offence took place
He told me, the solicitor and the OIC that he used a publicly available Instagram account to like posts from his own personal Instagram account... It's a big mess and I know CPS will just flip a coin on this case... If it does go to court my ex has a strong defence because the police never even stated whether the image was viewed or not..
It's now coming to 5 years since this case all started... Tragic x
Hi @Stitch123
Yes in the beginning I thought this would also be the case... That it will still be accepted by CPS but after looking at similar cases, I don't think the police have enough to charge on...
The offence isn't as simple as someone who downloaded illegal material. The case was much more complicated. It showed the offence took place on Instagram with a different device and then a screen recording of the offence was found on my ex's phone
It wasn't hidden or locked away somewhere, it was in the mix of random LEGAL images in his photos app. My husband at the time was living alone and had so many house parties where strangers would be partying in his home. His search history and everything else came back clean..
It's just this one moving category b image that was found. I couldn't take it anymore and we got a divorce but I still care for him. I still look out for him as much as I can while trying to live my own life..
This case took too long because Instagram are now unable to provide us extremely important information regarding the video call and the account history... When it was created etc. because the account in question has been suspended for longer than 2 years
So it's been too long and he is entitled to a fair trial. IF this case went to court, the judge will most likely throw it out because of how long it took, the lack of communication, and the unfairness to a fair trial because the main evidence being the Instagram account data is no longer retrieval
Yes in the beginning I thought this would also be the case... That it will still be accepted by CPS but after looking at similar cases, I don't think the police have enough to charge on...
The offence isn't as simple as someone who downloaded illegal material. The case was much more complicated. It showed the offence took place on Instagram with a different device and then a screen recording of the offence was found on my ex's phone
It wasn't hidden or locked away somewhere, it was in the mix of random LEGAL images in his photos app. My husband at the time was living alone and had so many house parties where strangers would be partying in his home. His search history and everything else came back clean..
It's just this one moving category b image that was found. I couldn't take it anymore and we got a divorce but I still care for him. I still look out for him as much as I can while trying to live my own life..
This case took too long because Instagram are now unable to provide us extremely important information regarding the video call and the account history... When it was created etc. because the account in question has been suspended for longer than 2 years
So it's been too long and he is entitled to a fair trial. IF this case went to court, the judge will most likely throw it out because of how long it took, the lack of communication, and the unfairness to a fair trial because the main evidence being the Instagram account data is no longer retrieval