M
Member
Speaking in the House of Lords on 10 March 2026
Debate
Victims and Courts BillContribution
Requiring the prosecution to prove that the computer was working accurately in all these cases could quickly bring the system down. For example, there are many rape and domestic abuse cases in which the prosecution wishes to rely on social media messages sent between the defendant and the complainant. Computer evidence in those cases would relate both to the individual device used and to the social media platform’s broader system. However, most of the social media companies are not based in the United Kingdom, so UK law enforcement has no power to compel them to produce a statement saying that the computer was working reliably. Therefore, it can easily be seen how this could add to delays in such cases or might even mean it was not possible to prosecute some at all.
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