Cops to Serve Prison for Hacking Computers & Tapping Phone Lines

Two former policemen were sent to prison on October 10, 2007 because they operated a private detective business that hacked computers and intercepted phone lines while conducting investigations.

Ex-Met officers Scott Galsthorpe, 33, a resident of Kattering, and Jeremy Young, 40, a resident of Illford in Essex, received 24 months and 27 months of jail respectively when their sentence was announced at Southwark Crown Court on October 10, 2007. Their business was linked to a countrywide network of gumshoes that had connections with the police. The sentencing also included for three other former officers.

While Young was employed in Stoke Newington, he established and ran AIS (Active Investigation Services) in 1999. His wealthy clients included multi-millionaire Mathew Mellon of USA who paid AIS to tap his ex-wife Tamara Mellon's e-mails. Tamara was the boss of Jimmy Choo shoes.

The court listened to the story of Young setting up and running AIS with the help of his associates Scott Gelsthorpe and 60-year old David Carrol of Highgate, North London, who awaits his sentence.

AIS employed sophisticated IT and bugging technology to break into computers and intercept telephone conversations. It also similarly conducted corporate spying and infiltrated people's privacy. The agency charged customers between 5,000 pounds and 7,000 pounds to access others' PCs and 6,000 pounds to tap telephone lines.

According to the police, Gelsthorpe and Young could churn millions from AIS operations but their exact assault is still under investigation.

The racket eventually came to the notice of BT. One of the Telco's investigators had caught an AIS worker in his camera while he was fiddling with telephone lines. The investigator then informed the Met.

In September 2004, Young was handcuffed in his home where police found evidence of illegally acquired data from the Police National Computer.

Young admitted of committing 16 offenses: 7 counts of plotting plan of unauthorized alteration of computer content, secret plans of defrauding, 6 counts of secretly and unlawfully tapping communications, plotting to cause property damage, and supporting misconduct in public office.

According to Kevin Hyland, Detective Inspector, police officers behaving in such manner is very disappointing.

Related article: CEFCU Customers Face phishing Scam Heat

» SPAMfighter News - 10/26/2007