Umesh Kulasingham, 39, was found guilty on two counts of sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15, two counts of grooming a girl aged under 13, and 13 counts of possession of indecent cartoon images of children in January, and sentenced to eight years in prison yesterday.
His predatory method was to open and use Facebook accounts under the aliases of Fiaz Khan, Arun Kula and Don GT in order to contact and groom his victims. Only one victim is known, but more are suspected by the police. “It is unknown how many other females he has contacted in this way. All of his contact with this victim was by the use of Facebook, MSN, Skype, webcam and numerous text messages,” said DC Sarah Garrick from the Met’s Operation Sapphire Complex Case Team.
The likelihood of further victims and further illegal activity is to a certain extent based on the use of encryption on his computer, and his refusal to disclose his encryption key. In the UK it is an offense not to hand over encryption keys (for example, “for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime”) on demand to law enforcement under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA).
This case, however, highlights a potential weakness in the process. If the encryption hides evidence of crimes that carry a longer sentence than the ‘crime’ of withholding the key, then the suspect has no incentive to disclose – and Kulasingham has to this day refused to disclose his password.
“We know from interrogation of his mobile phone and computer that remains locked,” commented DC Garrick, “that he was in contact with a number of other young girls who have never come forward. Today's sentence reflects the devious methods he has used for his own gains.” The one victim that the police were able to prove only came to light after the her brother and sister discovered explicit text messages on a mobile phone.
The police have praised the bravery of the young victim for attending court and giving evidence, have appealed for other victims to come forward, and have issued a general warning for parents to monitor the use of social networks. “We know that social networking plays a big part in society,” said DC Garrick, “but just ask that you monitor and educate your children in the dangers held within. The people you meet on these sites are not necessarily who they say they are and are using you, your child or another young person for their own benefit.”