Daily Mirror Fake Iraq photo scandal (2004) Special Investigation Branch (RMP)

Royal Military Police (SIB)

2004

In May 2004 Britain's Daily Mirror tabloid newspaper admitted photos of British soldiers torturing Iraqi prisoners were fake (staged) and apologised unconditionally for their publication. Its high-profile editor Piers Morgan resigned from his role as editor soon after.

AVF, contracted to the SIB Military Police for all the Gulf War 2 Forensic Audio Visual work, investigated the case. Once the truck they were taken in was located (in a Preston Army base) comparison work was undertaken of the truck, weapons from the armoury and uniforms observed in the images versus seized uniforms.

AVF proved the photos to be staged by matching elements of the (UK Territorial Army training) truck walls, floor and canvas, weapon details, matching the camouflage pattern of the uniform and, finally, matching a pattern of moles on the suspects left forearm.

View more case studies

The murder of Lebanese singer Suzanne Tamim in Dubai

An Egyptian property magnate, was convicted of hiring a former Police Officer as a hitman, paying him $2m (£1.28m) to kill former girlfriend Suzanne Tamim, a Lebanese singer, who was stabbed to death at her house in Dubai on July28th 2008 after their relationship had soured.

Private Case

2008

John Higgins sting operation 2010 (N.O.T.W.)

In 2010 World Snooker champion John Higgins and his then manager Pat Mooney were alleged by the News of the World to have agreed to accept €300,000 (£261,000) in return for arranging the outcome of four frames in matches to be played later this year.

Private Case

2010

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden fake photographs

In 2011 Expressen newspaper in Sweden asked AVF to analyse a supplied photograph purportedly of the King of Sweden in a hotel room with prostitutes in various states of undress. Serbian-Swedish businessman Mille Markovic who had been convicted and imprisoned for a range of crimes including tax evasion, weapons charges, assault, fraud and blackmail claimed to have photographic evidence of the King’s private life.

Expressen newspaper (Sweden)

2011

Glasgow Bin Lorry Enquiry 2016

Six people died and 15 others were injured as a bin lorry, driven by Harry Clarke, lost control and crashed into a lane between Queen Street Station and the Millennium Hotel, Glasgow

Police Scotland

2016

Industrial Accident Investigation case

In May 2021 AVF worked on a fatal accident enquiry at an industrial site in Europe where health and safety breaches were in question.

Private Case

2016

International Corruption Unit

In 2020 AVF was tasked by the International Corruption Unit (NCA) to compare seized documents and footage captured covertly and on CCTV illustrating the use of the encrypted telephone system (Encrochat) as used by a criminal gang.

National Crime Agency (NCA)

2020

Accident Investigation Corporate manslaughter

In 2021 AVF was tasked by a law firm to work on a fatal accident enquiry at a UK industrial site where the case hinged on visibility of the deceased in an area allegedly visible to both CCTV and supervisors on the ground.

PSNI

2021

Rhys Jones murder enquiry (2008) Merseyside Police

On 22 August 2007, Rhys Jones, an eleven-year-old boy, was shot dead in Liverpool while walking home from football practice. AVF was engaged by Merseyside Police to enhance the covert audio from probes located in the suspects houses recording their conversations, transcribe and subtitle the conversations to video. This was a highly detailed piece of work spanning 6 months.

Merseyside Police / SOCA

2008

John Jessop murder enquiry (Nottinghamshire Police 2022)

On the evening of February 25th 2022, 47 year old Clair Ablewhite was murdered in her home in Colston Bassett from a sustained and brutal stabbing attack. AVF was engaged by Nottingham Police to piece together his movements captured on CCTV cycling from Newark to Colston Bassett and back again, create clothing comparisons, bike comparisons, audio enhancement, video enhancement and an audio listening log.

Nottinghamshire Police

2022

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