A man arrested on suspicion of murdering a teenager in Southampton has been jailed for withholding his Facebook password from detectives.<\/p>\n
Lucy McHugh, 13, was found stabbed to death in woodland last month, a day after she disappeared.<\/p>\n
Stephen-Alan Nicholson, 24, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an order under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, requiring him to disclose the Facebook password.<\/p>\n
He was sentenced to 14 months in jail.<\/p>\n
Nicholson, of no fixed address, appeared by videolink at Southampton Crown Court.<\/p>\n
He was first arrested on 27 July on suspicion of murder and sexual activity with a child and subsequently bailed. But he was also charged under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.<\/p>\n
The court heard the charge related to a court order that Nicholson disclose his Facebook password protecting any private communications with Lucy McHugh.<\/p>\n
He was described as a family friend and care worker who had been staying in Lucy’s home in Mansel Road until shortly before her death.<\/p>\n
Passing sentence, Judge Christopher Parker did not accept Nicholson’s “wholly inadequate” excuse that providing his password would expose information relating to cannabis.<\/p>\n
“What you have done is obstructed the investigation, and a very serious investigation indeed. It has caused a very significant delay,” the judge said.<\/p>\n
“It means that the task of police investigating the murder of Lucy McHugh is that much more difficult.”<\/p>\n
Matthew Lawson, prosecuting, said police were following a “lengthy procedure” to get the information from Facebook itself.<\/p>\n
Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"