A COMPUTER worker has been jailed for thwarting the efforts of specialist police efforts to access a hard drive suspected of containing images of child sexual abuse.

Christopher Longley was arrested by officers from the North East Regional Special Operations Unit’s (NERSOU) Cyber Crime Department, in March 2015.

The now 57-year-old was suspected of carrying out offences under the Computer Misuse Act, which led to the seizure of a number of devices.

Longley went on to admit unauthorised access to computer material at South Tyneside Magistrates Court, in June 2018, and was given a community order.

By then, however, detectives had already begun a further investigation relating to an encrypted hard drive which was among the seized equipment.

Police suspected it may contain category A indecent images of children.

When he was interviewed, Longley denied the allegation, claiming the hard drive had been accidentally encrypted and the key to decrypt it no longer worked.

A court order was later granted under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) to compel him to provide the correct key to decrypt the hard drive and encrypted file, but he failed to comply.

Longley, of Briar Lea, Shiney Row, denied failing to provide the key to protected information and doing an act/acts intended or tending to pervert the course of justice.

Following a four-day trial at Newcastle Crown Court he was found guilty, on October 1.

On his return to court for sentencing he received a 15-month prison sentence.

Judge Penny Moreland also made him subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years.

The judge said he had done, “whatever he could to frustrate the investigation.”

She said it was a “reasonable inference” that his failure to comply with the police requests meant he had, “something to hide”.

Detective Constable Steve Brown, of NERSOU, said: “This has been a long and complex investigation which could have been brought to a quicker conclusion had Longley co-operated.

“He deliberately withheld the decryption key and did everything in his power to try and stop the wheels of justice.

“This investigation heavily relied on the work of our talented digital forensics team, and this outcome is testament to their hard work and professionalism.

“I hope this outcome demonstrates the lengths we are prepared to go to in order to tackle online offending and cybercrime.

“We are pleased that the severity of Longley’s crimes has been reflected with this custodial sentence.”

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