Malicious email / police involved
Discussion
We had a knock on the door yesterday from a police officer. I accompanied my son to the station, he is 20 and hasnt been in trouble with the police before.
Around a year ago a video had been circulating of a friends sister doing various things on a webcam site.
This video then got found by one of my sons friends and was passed about. My son was sent it and thought his friend (whose sister was in the video) deserved to know what was going on. He didnt want to get involved directly but felt this needed taking down so sent. In hindsight he should of just told him as this has now been reported for malicious communication.
The police were brilliant and once he explained that he had sent it to him to let him know and it wasnt malicious they released him. He phoned them today for an update and they said the receiver of the email (his friend) wants to press charges.
What would the likely outcome of this be?
Around a year ago a video had been circulating of a friends sister doing various things on a webcam site.
This video then got found by one of my sons friends and was passed about. My son was sent it and thought his friend (whose sister was in the video) deserved to know what was going on. He didnt want to get involved directly but felt this needed taking down so sent. In hindsight he should of just told him as this has now been reported for malicious communication.
The police were brilliant and once he explained that he had sent it to him to let him know and it wasnt malicious they released him. He phoned them today for an update and they said the receiver of the email (his friend) wants to press charges.
What would the likely outcome of this be?
OK just to fill in the blanks:
Girl is middle aged.
my Son sent the girls brother an anonymous email as he didnt want to get directly involved. Mates came across said video on famous adult site and sent it to him but warned him not to tell anyone
Brother then contacts police to say ive had this email
Police do IP check and knock on our door
Son admits to sending it and says he would do it again as brother should know whats been going around. Police agree its not malicious and believe what he has said.
Girl is middle aged.
my Son sent the girls brother an anonymous email as he didnt want to get directly involved. Mates came across said video on famous adult site and sent it to him but warned him not to tell anyone
Brother then contacts police to say ive had this email
Police do IP check and knock on our door
Son admits to sending it and says he would do it again as brother should know whats been going around. Police agree its not malicious and believe what he has said.
It was written in a jokey way as in 'check what your sisters doing' with a screen shot attached of her face.
My sons reasoning for this was:
1) He wanted to try and stay out of it and so that his other mates wouldnt of said he had been a 'grass' etc
2) He knew if if put something direct like 'Jane is doing this and Fred and the rest of the gang have been laughing behind your back about it, i think you should check it out - then he would of got jip off the rest of his mates as they told him not to say anything.
All in hindsight of course he should of just done the right thing and told him directly or even better just stay out of it all.
My sons reasoning for this was:
1) He wanted to try and stay out of it and so that his other mates wouldnt of said he had been a 'grass' etc
2) He knew if if put something direct like 'Jane is doing this and Fred and the rest of the gang have been laughing behind your back about it, i think you should check it out - then he would of got jip off the rest of his mates as they told him not to say anything.
All in hindsight of course he should of just done the right thing and told him directly or even better just stay out of it all.
The Spruce goose said:
When you went into the police station did you have a duty solicitor as well with you? What did they advise?
Yes had solicitor, both the police and solicitor said he was all a bit bizarre and after he explained himself both the solicitor and police could see why he had done it. Solicitor said he didnt think anything would come of it.Just to clarify the above, my son didnt tell him that he sent the email. The receiver told everyone he was going to the police and my son at this point probably crapped his pants.
In hindsight he should of said at this point, may have stopped all this happening and limited damage.
He hasnt spoken to his friend yet on the police's advice. The police are due to speak to this chap in the next day or so to see what he wants to do in relation to continuing it. The police spoke to him last week then said they will call him in 7 days to speak again. The policeman said on the phone that he was hoping the chap would 'have time to think it over and calm down' so from our point of view and the police's we are hoping he will change his mind once he has time to mull it over.
The policeman seems a very reasonable man and probably wants this all closed off.
In hindsight he should of said at this point, may have stopped all this happening and limited damage.
He hasnt spoken to his friend yet on the police's advice. The police are due to speak to this chap in the next day or so to see what he wants to do in relation to continuing it. The police spoke to him last week then said they will call him in 7 days to speak again. The policeman said on the phone that he was hoping the chap would 'have time to think it over and calm down' so from our point of view and the police's we are hoping he will change his mind once he has time to mull it over.
The policeman seems a very reasonable man and probably wants this all closed off.
yes phone, ipad and pc seized. Everything returned a day later apart from phone which they say they want to give back but may have to end up keeping it due to it having whatsapp installed. Though im not sure what the process is with that - can the police retrieve deleted whatsapp. My son stated the only messages he received in regard to this was from one of the group with check this out and a link to said video.
cbmotorsport said:
^ This.
OP, I suspect your Son is not friends with the brother, and he's just someone he knows. Perhaps he's not telling you the truth, and he's anonymously emailed to shame the brother by pointing out his sisters shenanigans.
Good friends - see each other once a week etcOP, I suspect your Son is not friends with the brother, and he's just someone he knows. Perhaps he's not telling you the truth, and he's anonymously emailed to shame the brother by pointing out his sisters shenanigans.
He knows the friend very well but didnt want to get involved as such so did it anonymously - big mistake in hindsight.
The friend knows its him - the police have told him. the police also spoke to him and put across that it wasnt sent in malice. Police say he still wants to press charges but it isnt up to him. Police/CPS decision - in general public interest. From what I gather speaking to police is that they would rather wrap this up as it a) wasnt done in malice. b) not involving underage c) was already in the public domain, either uploaded by the girl herself or a 'customer' of a webcam site.
The girl in question - from what im led to believe doesnt know anything about this at all. The brother doesnt want her to know that everyone knows etc.
The friend knows its him - the police have told him. the police also spoke to him and put across that it wasnt sent in malice. Police say he still wants to press charges but it isnt up to him. Police/CPS decision - in general public interest. From what I gather speaking to police is that they would rather wrap this up as it a) wasnt done in malice. b) not involving underage c) was already in the public domain, either uploaded by the girl herself or a 'customer' of a webcam site.
The girl in question - from what im led to believe doesnt know anything about this at all. The brother doesnt want her to know that everyone knows etc.
Stu08 said:
Apologies for further questions about your son.
You say it's up to police / CPS in general interest of public.......and then also say the friend wants to prosecute anyway.
Am I reading that right? I really can't understand why the friend is wanting to prosecute your son so much. Is there really nothing else that needs to be known (not for us but for you to know the whole story).
Again - not attacking your son as I don't know him.
I think he just wants someone done for it. A large group of people have viewed it and had a good ole laugh about it. You say it's up to police / CPS in general interest of public.......and then also say the friend wants to prosecute anyway.
Am I reading that right? I really can't understand why the friend is wanting to prosecute your son so much. Is there really nothing else that needs to be known (not for us but for you to know the whole story).
Again - not attacking your son as I don't know him.
Edited by Stu08 on Thursday 26th October 16:42
The one friend who viewed it is a teacher - the brother phoned the school up and this teacher chap had to have an interview by the head. All blew over in the end but completely over the top. I feel like calling him up and saying the only person you should be angry at is your own sister for parading her wares for cash on the internet!
My son has called the police station several times now to ascertain when he can have his mobile phone back but the officer he was dealing with said his manager hasn't had time to call the chap who made the complaint. Is there a time limit as to how long a case should go on for until it can be closed and property returned? He / We do not feel the police are stalling, more likely they have bigger things to be dealing with. When he called last week the officer got a little shirty with him and said to no need to keep calling me, when I know something il call you.
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