Cell Site Analysis – How to obtain a quote
If you have a criminal defence case where you need to instruct a Cell Site Analysis expert, the chances are that it will need to be authorised by the Legal Aid Agency. No two cell site analysis cases are the same and there can be a huge difference in the costs of each case. On occasion we will provide a quote to a law firm for the work required, only for the Legal Aid Agency to reject it as being excessive. The law firm will then need to obtain a second quote which may be less, or even more expensive. But, is it ‘like for like’? This is where the problems can begin so it is important to set out clear instructions to any potential Cell Site Analysis Expert as to exactly what is required from them.
The only exception to this if there are no specific instructions at the initial stage and counsel would like a review, or health check of the work conducted by the prosecution. Usually because their evidence has not been produced by a cell site analysis expert, but by a police analyst, which often has no statement of interpretation accompanying it.
In order to be supplied with a meaningful quote you should supply your cell site expert with a copy of any prosecution cell site analysis report or statement, call schedules and any maps produced. Along with this it would be helpful to receive an MG/5 as well as Counsels advice if available. If a defence case statement has been prepared then this should also be sent to your cell site expert.
This should then enable you to receive a quote for exactly what is required but please let your cell site expert know if you have any specific instructions such as whether you require radio frequency surveys to be conducted at a crime scene or alibi address as this will significantly affect the costs. Also if you do obtain a second quote, check that both companies are quoting for the same work to be carried out. We had a case recently where a solicitor had our quote rejected, obtained another quote which was much cheaper and asked if we could conduct our cell site analysis work for the same price as theirs. We asked the solicitor to go through what the other company had quoted for and the reason it was much cheaper is because they had failed to include surveys. In this particular case the survey work was the crucial part of the instruction so the other quote was meaningless without going back to the other cell site analysis company and asking them to include survey work, which the solicitor then did.
Give as much relevant information as possible to your cell site analysis expert. If your client does not accept attribution of a particular mobile phone then let them know so that any attribution work can also be quoted for.
Besides all that is mentioned above, you can be sure of one thing, if it is not a true expert providing your client’s report then potentially it is a total waste of money and unlikely to benefit their case.
If you have a case which you would like to discuss in confidence contact the cell site analysis experts on 01527 467467 or denise@footprintinvestigations.com