Collection of Seized items

[LondonTeacher]

Collection of Property

Many of you would know that I had a false allegation against me by one of my students. I was arrested in November and was notified of the outcome of the investigation (NFA) at the end of April.

I went to collect my items at the police station recently. Since the accuser is underage, my iPhone was seized and house searched. My laptop, USB sticks, digital camera was taken from my house.

I wasn't given an inventory of the items sent off for analysis.

I collected my items today and received them all. The OIC had a book and I had to sign for every item one at a time.

I had a peek in the book and I noticed that there's a section that record where the item was recovered from the house..... If it was taken from the top drawer, or under the bed, or in the attic.......This was recorded it in the book.

I kept my digital camera in my bottom drawer and I had some reading books that was on top of it. The police use this to their advantage and constantly asked what will be recovered from the digital camera in my interview. I had nothing to hide. It seems as if the more concealed/hidden/unnoticeable the item is during the house search, the more you'll be questioned about possible things that may be recovered during forensic examination.

The condition of the items collected today was very good- nothing broken or cracked......

I'm just a bit paranoid that the police may secretly install "something" on my laptop and phone that tells them my every move and action for the rest of my life . I'm scared to turn on my phone and laptop that was seized as apart of the investigation. I doubt that's the case.... I'm not thinking straight..... Been under suspicion for so long.....

Anyways, thanks to everyone on this forum for their help over the last 6 months

Blessings to all going through this mess.... Keep the faith!

[soulbug]

If that line of thinking continues, then wipe them all clean, factory reset the phone, wipe the hard drive on the computer and do a fresh install of your operating system.

Or do the above, then sell on eBay and replace with new.

Please make sure you save any important data first, if you are a bit of a technophobe, then YouTube would offer a visual tutorial on how to perform such tasks.

[KB19]

So pleased to hear you have got it all back and it is all in good condition , like you we live in constant thought of how "they" are watching/ listening etc to us and they have quite a bit of our tech stuff. When one day we are hopefully to be in your position we will probably have to clear it and sell it , it's weird but anything to do with " them" I feel is contanimated, even the chair OIC sat in when they came to tell me came in for the scrubbing of it's life ! Pretty sad I know just don't want anything to do with them but unfortunately have too .

Interesting what you say about the book logged iitems . Our items were all in visual , but believe what you say and I am sure others will echo your experience.

Hope life is slowly getting back on track for you and you have some time now to learn to enjoy normality again.

[Staystrong1]

So glad to hear your awful ordeal is over and that you have got your NFA and that you can put this behind you. Im not suprised you feel so awful and worried. You should have been given an inventory of all your items but glad to hear you have them all back. I can totally jnderstand you feeling frightened that the police will do something underhand and install something, feeling paranoid and overthinking but Im sure that wouldn't happen. OH case went to trial and NG Unanimous verdict last year, I can remember feeling the same in run up to trial, still cant help feeling a bit worried, even when the door knocks when not expecting anyone my heart skips a beat but it does ease with time. You have had a terrible shock and will find it hard to beleive its over and trust again.

Take it one day at a time and dont let it spoil your life now. I find i dont take life for granted anymore and wish you all the best for a happy life oh and some too x

[hello88]

when i got my items back, the laptop especially had it opened where the police clearly last looked at it. It had a pic of my then 9 month half naked (no top) son covered in spinach that he was unsuccessfully eating) although he had a big smile, i burst out crying thinking, i'm never going to be able to look at that picture normally again, hate for me to think what they where thinking/looking for when they looked at that picture. It was also opened on my netmums account where they clearly had been going through it. Yet again, be funny if they where looking for "oh had affair, i think his cheating, i'm worried about my kids" ect cause all they would of found is.. "9 months old bedtime routine", "asthma advice for babies" "school pack lunch ideas please" lol oh and there was a lot of questions i posted about my dd's phonics tests!! .. they must of been very dissapointed.

I think also what i find annoying is the stickers they had put on our stuff, they havent come of a few of the things!!!!

When they searched the house i literally told them where things where (my baby boy was sleeping on me at the time) and i asked if they note down that i've told them where to find the things, in which they reply "no". They did though take alot of our dvd's which are now scratched but could of been worse, at least i got my accounts back...

there will be some things you find strange, some things you will find a reason to celebrate.. things you will never trust again, but it will get better.. if they don't have any of your items anymore they don't have anything to have a hold on you!!!

keep strong xx

[slowdown73]

I can identify with what you are saying. The whole experience is traumatic and people don't really understand the impact it can have. I got an NFA last september but I still worry I might be under some kind of surveillance. I'm sure they bugged my landline because there used to be a lot of interference on the line.

You need to try and draw a line under the experience. I know it's hard but you've been NFA'd and the Police probably have a lot more important things to do and it would cost them time and resources to continue investigating you when obviously there was insufficient evidence anyway. Like other people have said, maybe sell your items and buy new ones if you are still concerned about anything being installed on your computer etc.

Just out of interest. As you're a professional guy like me, has the allegation had any negative impact on your job? I don't know your situation whether you're still working or not.