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Mumsnet hack update - police have charged someone

243 replies

JustineMumsnet · 21/05/2016 19:30

Hello,

Many of you will remember last August’s hacking attack on Mumsnet.

I'm pleased to say that today someone has appeared in court, charged with offences related to the attacks (though not the swatting attacks) and will appear at Guildford Magistrate court on 07th June.

The Met tell us that the suspect has been charged with: “two offences of causing a computer to perform function to secure / enable unauthorised access to a program / data, contrary to section 1 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 and also one offence of unauthorised acts with intent to impair operation of or prevent / hinder access to a computer, contrary to section 3 of the Computer Misuse act 1990.”

The Met’s Cyber Crime Unit is continuing investigations into the incident, including the swatting attacks that also took place. We'll let you know as and when we hear anything further.

Thanks,
Justine

OP posts:
usual · 21/05/2016 21:45

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DailyMailFodder · 21/05/2016 21:44

Why is everyone saying it might be a 17 year old? I can't find a by reference to that? I've googled Confused

member · 21/05/2016 21:39

I've wondered on and off about this, good to see some progress but I hope charges are brought for the swatting. Virtual attacks are bad but extending that to real life, and in doing so causing fear & a waste of police resources should carry a more hefty punishment imo.

KimmySchmidtsSmile · 21/05/2016 21:39

Happy they have made arrests.
Sad if they are only teenagers, I had thought it was a middle aged aggrieved bloke.
The hacking was invasion of privacy, the swatting was outrageous
but
it's a site for parents and those two kids are still someone's sons who have screwed up big time.

NormaStanleyFletcher · 21/05/2016 21:37

I really hope they get someone for the swatting.

NormaStanleyFletcher · 21/05/2016 21:36

I am impressed that they tracked them down.

zzzzz · 21/05/2016 21:35

This reply has been deleted

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Northernlurker · 21/05/2016 21:33

Excellent news

MrsVamos · 21/05/2016 21:30

Great news. Smile

BurnTheBlackSuit · 21/05/2016 21:17

Good.

bibbitybobbityyhat · 21/05/2016 21:15

Thanks for explaining. I missed a lot of that as was on holiday at the time.

JackandDiane · 21/05/2016 21:11

in an adult court everyone is allowed in. :)

Pipbin · 21/05/2016 21:09

Good point jack, I was forgetting that Jeffery was under 18. His mother must be so proud.

Pipbin · 21/05/2016 21:08

What is swatting?

When you call the police saying that there is is an armed person in a house. They send round an armed response unit to an unsuspecting person who is fast asleep or otherwise unaware. Suddenly there is a knock on the door and a load of armed police are stood there.
Utterly despicable.

BIWI · 21/05/2016 21:08

Swatting: a type of harassment in which a perpetrator calls the emergency services out to their victim on a false pretence

'Jeffrey' organised two of these, one to Justine's home and a second to a Mumsnetter who had been engaging with him/his friends on Twitter (I think).

In both cases, as far as I remember, this involved armed police being dispatched to the houses, because a report of serious domestic violence had been reported. In Justine's case I think she was on holiday, but the Mumsnetter wasn't, and it was incredibly traumatic for her, her DH and her DC.

FruStefanOla · 21/05/2016 21:07

bibbity, this is swatting en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swatting

JackandDiane · 21/05/2016 21:07

i am not sure you are right about that. Youth court is private.

FruStefanOla · 21/05/2016 21:04

Good news, Justine Smile

Pipbin · 21/05/2016 21:03

You won't be allowed in unless linked to the case
I understand that anyone can go to the public gallery unless it is particularly sensitive.

bibbitybobbityyhat · 21/05/2016 21:01

What is swatting?

SmileAndNod · 21/05/2016 20:59

Why wouldn't you be allowed in, should you want to? Courts / trials are open to the public aren't they?

LyndaNotLinda · 21/05/2016 20:57

Fantastic :)

JackandDiane · 21/05/2016 20:52

You won't be allowed in unless linked to the case

plus = REALLY?

BIWI · 21/05/2016 20:50

How weird. I was thinking about starting a thread asking about this just this morning!

As someone who handed in their laptop to the Met Police cyber unit, I always wondered if it had helped.

But it sounds like the hacking and swatting are being treated as different offences, Justine?

BitOutOfPractice · 21/05/2016 20:47

That's good news!

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