On 12 December 2023, our director and forensic specialist, Dr Richard Rhodes, received a formal commendation from the MPS Commander for SO15 Dominic Murphy QPM for ‘exceptional expertise, professionalism and dedication during Operation C, a complex and protracted investigation leading to the conviction of terrorists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) for hostage-taking, torture and murder in Syria in 2014/15.’

The award was given at a ceremony at the US Embassy in London to celebrate the ‘dedication, professionalism and determination‘ of MPS officers, UK and US lawyers, and experts, across the number of years that this Operation and associated prosecutions were running.

Dr Rhodes gave evidence at the trial of one of the defendants at US Federal Court in 2022, which was the first time that voice comparison evidence had been adduced and successfully admitted in this US jurisdiction. The evidence was subject to a Daubert admissibility hearing where it was accepted by the trial judge, and Dr Rhodes was qualified as an expert in voice comparison, despite the challenges made by the defence team.

Reflections from Dr Rhodes:

“This was one of the most challenging cases I have worked on; from the content and context of the recordings, the pace of the investigations, to the eventual trial in the USA. The trial experience was helped by the amount of preparation I was able to undertake with the MPS officers and the US legal team in advance. Through their determination to engage with our subject matter, the voice comparison evidence was successfully admitted through a Daubert-hearing challenge and adduced. It was an interesting experience trying to navigate a course of cross-examination on methods and standards/requirements, whilst making the material accessible and understandable by the jury and others in the court (without using too much jargon) – this is the key challenge all forensic experts face when testifying on their specialist subject in court.

I was incredibly grateful and honoured to be given this commendation by the SO15 Commander in the impressive surrounds of the US Embassy – and to recognise the achievements of the whole UK and US team with family and colleagues together.“

We work with prosecution and defence teams across the UK and internationally on a range of voice anaysis services, such as forensic voice comparison, forensic transcription and audio enhancement.

Get in touch with our team of experts to discuss your case requirements: 01904 954 905 or enquiries@forensicvoicecentre.com.