Belfast · Northern Ireland · solicitors · employers · insurers · defence
Forensic data recovery in Northern Ireland. A Northern Ireland company, examining to the same standard wherever the exhibit comes from.
Forensic Data Recovery is a trading name of Easy Data Recovery Ltd, a company registered in Northern Ireland, and we take instructions from across Northern Ireland as well as the rest of the UK, by post or at one of ten drop-off points. The legal position here differs from England and Wales in ways that matter to anyone instructing a digital examination, and this page sets them out: the Forensic Science Regulator's statutory Code does not apply in Northern Ireland, Forensic Science Northern Ireland ceased its own digital forensic services in 2022, and defence solicitors instruct independent providers. The standard forensic report for a one-disk system is £800 + VAT, and court expert reports are quoted.
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How the position differs in Northern Ireland.
The Regulator's Code does not apply. The Forensic Science Regulator's remit and statutory Code of Practice cover England and Wales. Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland reported in 2024 that the PSNI and Forensic Science Northern Ireland have agreed to align with the Code where possible, but there is no statutory equivalent for Northern Ireland, and formal accreditation against a Northern Ireland code would need one to exist. The courts here nonetheless examine competence, method and integrity, so the same discipline applies: write-blocked imaging, verified hashes, a chain of custody and a repeatable method.
Digital forensics outside the police. The same inspection recorded that Forensic Science Northern Ireland ceased its own digital forensic services in 2022, and that the PSNI's cyber crime centre carries out digital examination in-house. Defence solicitors use independent providers on behalf of their clients, and civil, employment and insurance work has always been privately instructed.
Legal aid. In Northern Ireland, the Legal Services Agency approves expert fees case by case rather than from a published tariff, and asks for comparative estimates with each request for authority. We are content to provide one, and we discuss the position at instruction.
Expert evidence. Expert reports for the Northern Ireland courts follow the Rules of the Court of Judicature and the practice directions, with the expert's duty to the court overriding any duty to the instructing party, the same principle as CPR Part 35 in England and Wales.
Who instructs us in Northern Ireland.
The questions that come up first.
Can I drop an exhibit off in Northern Ireland?
Exhibits are posted in, or handed in sealed at one of ten drop-off points across the UK; the nearest to the location you give on the form is emailed to you with the posting details. The laboratory address is not published.
Do you take legal-aid defence instructions in Northern Ireland?
Yes, on a solicitor's instruction. The Legal Services Agency approves expert fees case by case and asks for comparative estimates; we will provide one.
Does the Regulator's Code matter for a Northern Ireland case?
It does not apply here as a statutory code, but the courts look for the same things it requires: competence, a sound method and an intact chain of custody. Our method is the same wherever the case is heard.
What does an examination cost?
The standard forensic report for a one-disk system is £800 + VAT; a second disk is quoted as extra; court expert reports are quoted. The first conversation is free.
Instruct us from anywhere in Northern Ireland.
Tell us the situation and who owns the device. The first conversation is free, and the posting details and the nearest drop-off point arrive by email.