I've just read through this trying not to be bothered.
I know it is bobbysmum's MO, but it is still worrying that anyone holds those kinds of views.
FWIW, I could see my brother doing exactly this kind of thing.
He is not diagnosed (it wasn't routine when he was a child, but he is definitely on the spectrum. My other brother and I skate a very fine line between NT and AS/HFA. Autism as a whole is rife in my family) and there is little point now in chasing a dx - we know it, he knows it. He has finished with education, and would get little support form SS or any living support He copes, just about, on a daily basis with life, but his views on right/wrong, any moral issuesm, etc are extraordinary. If he committed a crime such as this, i would move heaven an dearth to get him diagnosed (in a "find the money to make it happen" way, rather than a lie to the experts way - lying really would not be necessary!)
Interestingly, my other brother (strong HFA traits, prob also on the spectrum) had a narrow escape involving some computers in the US (similar level of seriousness)
He too was just messing about with computers, not trying to do anyhting in particular - think aliens might have been involved then too .
Anyway, in the course of his browsing around, he found himself in high security areas - the ease with which he got in made him think they were spoof sites set up to look like the real thing, and on he went, tapping away. He was in the grip of a compulsion - he wanted to know something, had the means to find it out, and so on he went.
Luckily for him, he was just about able to recognise that, if what he thought were spoof sites weren't then he would be in serious trouble (I say luckily, because that is all it was down to - luck that eh had a better understanding of the way the world works, and the way other people view right/wrong)
I really cannot believe that people do still say that autis,/AS compulsions are not to be taken seriously. Honestly, if you haven't lived it, please don't comment.
And for bobbysmum to say she reckons she could fake an autism dx - I'd like to see her try. Most people spend years pinning one down (it took me nearly 2 years for dd1, and she is quite severe)