> But how would you even prove or disprove that someone has the key? The same way you 'prove' anything in criminal law: by adducing evidence that convinces a j

> But how would you even prove or disprove that someone has the key? The same way you 'prove' anything in criminal law: by adducing evidence that convinces a jury beyond reasonable doubt. If they don't have any evidence, the accused has no case to answer. > If they arrest someone with a laptop encrypted with ransomware, will they force this person to pay? Which provision are you thinking they could do that under? s.49 and 53 aren't relevant, they're only if someone is in possession of the key. With ransomware, some third party bad actor is in possession of the key.