University of Chester homepage

Meirion Davies

(He, Him)

Lecturer

Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

  • Lecturer
    Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

BIOGRAPHY

Meirion joined the North Wales Police in April 1984, spending most of his career in the Wrexham area. In 1994 he became a detective, working in various specialised roles, within the field of serious criminal investigations particularly child safeguarding. He was fortunate to be trained in many different skills including, specialist interviewing of suspect and victims, ‘Joint Agency Investigations’ and as a ‘Family Liaison Officer.’

Meirion trained as an engineer before joining the Police, always having interest in digital technology, this became especially useful in the mid 1990’s when the very first incidents of digital crime began to emerge. He became a specialist investigator in this brand-new field of police investigation.

In 2003 Meirion joined the Hi-tech Crime Unit of the North Wales Police receiving training as a digital forensics’ investigator, gaining many qualifications. In 2014, he graduated from Canterbury Christchurch University, with a Master of Science Degree, in Cyber Crime Forensics.
Meirion worked closely with many specialised departments including the Counter Terrorism Unit and Professional Standards Department, conducting complex investigations. Additionally, he developed training courses for police officers to raise their awareness of Digital Crime.

In April 2014, Meirion retired from the North Wales Police after 30 years of service as a police officer, joining Cheshire Constabulary Digital Forensics Unit, as a Civilian Digital Forensics Investigator, where he continued to conduct research developing new skills introducing specialised techniques for the rapid triaging of digital evidence at crime scenes, methods that have since been adopted as national best practice across the UK.
His research and practical experience led Cheshire to be the first police organisation, in the UK to achieve international accreditation in Digital Forensics publishing a number of academic papers, nationally adopted as best practice in the UK. He also became a home office approved trainer for specialist areas of digital forensics.

During his twenty years in the field of digital crime, Meirion he has been involved in many high-profile and complex investigations. He is recognised as an expert in his field, having received many commendations for his work, including the prestigious, ‘Police Federation National Detectives’ award in 2016.

In May 2023, he left Cheshire Constabulary, after 39 years police service, and joined the University of Chester, Institute of Policing, as a Module leader in Digital Crime.

Meirion is married with five children, he is a huge rugby fan supporting Wales and the Ospreys. An enthusiastic Archer, he is a qualified Archery GB coach, and he is working towards further qualifications as a NFAS Field Archery Coach.

He is working towards a PG Certificate in Higher Education, as part of his new career at the University of Chester.

UNIVERSITY OF CHESTER APPOINTMENTS

  • Lecturer
    University of Chester, Chester, United Kingdom22 May 2023

NON-ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Police Constable
    North Wales Police, Digital Forensics Unit, Colwyn Bay, United Kingdom16 Apr 1984 - 16 Apr 2014
  • Digital Forensics Civilian Investigator
    Cheshire Constabulary, Digital Forensics Unit, Winsford, United Kingdom19 May 2014 - 20 May 2023

DEGREES

  • Masters Degree Cybercrime Forensics
    Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom5 Jan 2009 - 6 Jan 2014

CERTIFICATIONS

  • CID Course Nationals Foundation Course in Criminal Investigation.
    College of Policing5 Jan 1998
    Joint Training Course between Cheshire Constabulary and North Wales Police. Nationals Foundation Course in Criminal Investigation. National Crime Faculty, Foxley Hall, Bramshill.
  • CID traineeship (PIP 2)
    North Wales Police9 Jan 1995
    National Foundation Course in Criminal Investigation
  • CID Course (PIP2)
    College of Policing9 Jan 1995
    National Foundation Course in Criminal Investigation
  • Child Safeguarding Assessment Framework.
    North Wales Police and Wrexham County Social Services1 Apr 2000
    Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable persons
  • Joint Investigation in Child Protection and Safeguarding.
    North Wales Police and Wrexham County Council10 Apr 2000
    Joint Investigation in Child Protection and Safeguarding.
  • Achieving Best Evidence (Victim/Children Interviewing).
    North Wales Police10 Apr 2000
    Achieving Best Evidence (Victim/Children Interviewing).
  • P.A.C.E. Advance (Suspect interviewing).
    North Wales Police10 Apr 2001
    Cheshire/ North Wales CID Training. District Police Training Centre Crewe, Cheshire
  • Foundation in Computer Forensics.
    Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom4 Apr 2005
    Cranfield University Royal College of Military Science.
  • Network Forensics.
    Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom11 Apr 2005
    Network Forensics. Cranfield University Royal College of Military Science.
  • Internet Forensics.
    Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom11 Apr 2005
    Cranfield University Royal College of Military Science.
  • Core skills in data recovery and analysis.
    Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom11 Apr 2005
    Core skills in data recovery and analysis. National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre
  • Applied NTFS Forensics.
    Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom10 Apr 2006
    Applied NTFS Forensics. National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre.
  • Advanced Internet Forensics.
    Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom9 Apr 2007
    Advanced Internet Forensics. National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre.
  • Researching investigating and tracing the electronic suspect.
    Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom7 May 2007
    Researching investigating and tracing the electronic suspect. National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre.
  • Radio Tactics Mobile Phone Examinations.
    Radio Tactics Mobile Phone Examinations. Plymouth9 May 2005
    Radio Tactics Mobile Phone Examinations.
  • Encase Computer Forensics 1 (Introductory level).
    Encase Guidance Software4 Apr 2005
    Encase Computer Forensics 1 (Introductory level) Liverpool.
  • Encase Computer Forensics 2 (Intermediate level).
    Encase Guidance software23 May 2005
    Encase Computer Forensics 2 (Intermediate level). Encase Computer Forensics 1 (Introductory level) Liverpool.
  • Access Data FTK Advanced Level Windows Forensics (Vista).
    Access data14 Apr 2008
    Access Data FTK Advanced Level Windows Forensics (Vista).
  • Access data FTK Boot-camp.
    Access Data23 Jun 2008
    Access data FTK Boot-camp.
  • Hi Tech crimes scene management and searching.
    Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom20 Apr 2009
    Hi Tech crimes scene management and searching. National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre.
  • Applied Cryptography.
    Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom20 Jul 2009
    Applied Cryptography.
  • Research Skills.
    Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom5 Aug 2024
    Research Skills.
  • Peer Precision
    National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre.8 Feb 2010
    National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre.
  • GNU Linux Forensics.
    National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre.11 Oct 2010
    National Specialist Law Enforcement Centre.
  • MAC Forensics.
    Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom20 Dec 2010
    MAC Forensics.
  • Net-Analysis Intermediate.
    Net-Analysis The Learning Tree Training Facility London.12 Mar 2012
    Net-Analysis Intermediate.
  • Encase Advanced Forensics.
    Guidance European Training Centre Slough9 Apr 2012
    Guidance European Training Centre Slough
  • Access Data FTK Boot-camp version 5.
    Access Data\ Training Centre Beresford Street London.15 Apr 2013
    Access Data FTK Boot-camp version 5.
  • Access Data MAC Forensics.
    Access Data\ Training Centre Beresford Street London.19 Aug 2013
    Access Data MAC Forensics.
  • ADF Triage.
    National Crime Agency Warrington16 Apr 2014
    ADF Triage.tools
  • Black-bag Forensics. Mac Analysis.
    Black Bag Forensics Greater Manchester Police Headquarters.14 Jul 2014
    Black-bag Forensics. Mac Analysis.
  • Encase certified examiner.
    Guidance European Training Centre, Slough.9 Feb 2015
    Encase certified examiner.
  • ISO 17025 Auditor.
    International Standards Organisation. Cheshire Constabulary.13 Apr 2015
    ISO 17025 Auditor. International Standards Auditor .
  • Internet Evidence Finder.
    Magnet Forensics Wyboston Lakes Bedfordshire.18 Apr 2016
    Internet Evidence Finder.
  • Black Bag Mac Forensics, Advanced Mac Analysis.
    Black Bag Mac Forensics, Advanced Mac Analysis. Birmingham19 Mar 2018
    Black Bag Mac Forensics, Advanced Mac Analysis.
  • Police Trainer Course. Home Office Approved Categorisation of Sexual Child Abuse Material.
    Merseyside Police Headquarters.13 May 2019
    Police Trainer Course. Home Office Approved Categorisation of Sexual Child Abuse Material.
  • Griffeye Categorisation Software.
    Griffeye Categorisation Software.20 Jul 2020
    Griffeye Categorisation Software.
  • Berla Vehicle Forensic technician (Vehicle Telematics).
    Berla Vehicle Forensic technician (Vehicle Telematics).West Mercia Police Headquarters.14 Jun 2021
    Berla Vehicle Forensic technician (Vehicle Telematics).
  • Berla Vehicle Forensics Investigator (Vehicle Telematics).
    Berla Vehicle Forensics Investigator (Vehicle Telematics). West Mercia Police Headquarters.21 Jun 2021
    Berla Vehicle Forensics Investigator (Vehicle Telematics).
  • Vehicle Trim Removal Course.
    Thatcham Research, Thatcham, United Kingdom14 Nov 2022
    Vehicle Trim Removal Course.
  • HYDRA Technical Course.
    Hydra30 Aug 2023
    HYDRA immersive teaching environment
  • HYDRA Facilitator Course.
    HYDRA20 Sep 2023
    HYDRA Facilitator Course.

SCHOOL

  • School of Law and Social Justice