Gone in 59.999 Seconds
A live walkthrough of a major murder investigation where vehicle data appeared clear, until key records failed to align with other evidence. This session explores strategy, independent validation, and the limits of tools, techniques, and Quality Management Systems when interpretation is under scrutiny. A case where careful attention to a small but significant time window protected the evidential position.
Description
A free live webinar case study based on a major murder investigation we worked on last year for Lancashire Police.
On 8 February 2024, Lenny Scott was shot and killed outside a gym in Skelmersdale. The investigation became one of Lancashire Police’s largest in recent years, involving 68 officers and staff, over 1,100 statements, and five and a half years of CCTV footage reviewed.
Lancashire Police had already identified and acquired data from several key vehicles. Harper Shaw Investigation Consultants Ltd were instructed as independent expert witnesses to:
- Review the work completed to date
- Verify the integrity of vehicle data acquired using commercial tools
- Identify further evidential opportunities
- Explain inconsistencies between recorded vehicle events and other evidence sources
- Author Expert Reports for 2 Vehicles
One key vehicle had recorded significant events. The issue was timing. The timestamps did not align with other evidence. If that event data appeared weak or incorrect, it risked casting doubt over the integrity of the entire vehicle data. We were asked to determine why.
This was a large and complex case where the detail had to be right. The vehicle evidence ultimately stood unchallenged mid-trial.
The webinar is live. The full case study presentation will also be available inside The Vehicle Network App as part of continuing education in the case study area.
Content
This webinar explains how we approached the case from an independent expert perspective. We cover:
- Strategy and planning in high-risk cases
- Independent validation of acquired vehicle data
- Acquisition methods and when additional skill sets are required beyond dedicated tool use
- How some timing sources operate within vehicles
- How and why parses’ including tools and scripts interpret some vehicle data
- Why in some cases trust in tooling is not sufficient
- Reporting in complex criminal proceedings
- Court process, late service of expert reports mid-trial, and the practical pressures that follow
At its core, this session links directly to the Vehicle Systems Forensics training pathway: planning, strategy, acquisition, validation, analysis, and structured reporting. It demonstrates why understanding the source, structure, and limitations of data matters as much as obtaining it.
Learning outcomes
- Planning and strategy in Vehicle Systems Forensics
- Understanding data limitations and timing vulnerabilities within vehicle systems
- Examining how tools parse and present data
- Knowing when to investigate the tool and technique itself
- Managing risk where multiple evidence streams intersect
Who Should Attend
- Vehicle Systems Forensics practitioners using commercial tools
- Investigators passing tool or parsing exports to wider teams
- Digital forensic analysts reviewing vehicle data alongside phone and cell site evidence
- Technical managers implementing ISO standards in digital forensics
- Supervisors signing off vehicle data evidence
- Organisations ingesting third-party vehicle data exports
- Barristers and solicitors with an interest in telematics evidence
Equipment Requirements
PC / Laptop / Internet Connection (works best on Chrome Browser)
Prerequisites
An basic understanding of Digital Forensics