Computer hacker jailed for fraud

Published Date: 18 June 2010

A former Crawley man has been jailed after he was convicted of two complex types of fraud by hacking into websites.
Alistair Peckover, formerly of Sheppey Close, Broadfield, targetted on-line betting sites and individual email accounts, converting both types to extract money to help feed his gambling habit.

Peckover, 21, was sentenced yesterday (Thursday)
at Southend Crown Court in Essex to 20 months imprisonment, having pleaded guilty at a hearing at the same court on May 13 to two counts of fraud, and admitting 50 other offences which were taken into consideration.

Four months of the sentence were in respect of breach of previous suspended sentence.

A police spokesman said: 'Using sophisticated computer programmes, some of which he wrote himself, Peckover was able to remotely view the files that another computer user was viewing, without their knowledge or consent. Using this method, he could look through anything on another's computer and taken anything that he chose.

'Both Google and BT, whose systems were misused, were made aware of the security breaches and have made arrangements to prevent them happening again.'

Amongst his haul was a Porsche, and £40,000 in cash (in Sterling and Euros) stuffed in to two containers. These were all seized by detectives, together with a Breitling watch, a Rolex watch, a Nintendo Wii console, a Pioneer car stereo, over £30,000 worth of gold bullion in small handsize bars, and six computers. Passports in three names that he had used were also found.

Detective Constable Des Hamilton, of the Sussex Police Major Fraud Unit, said: 'This is a classic example of a self-taught obsessive loner with real computer skills but no concern for his impact on other people. Peckover used his skills to systematically defraud legitimate on-line businesses and unsuspecting members of the public. He was caught time and again but seemed completely uncaring about others. We hope that this sentence will help him use his obvious talents for more honest activity. Computer-based crime is not victimless.'


* Last Updated: 18 June 2010 9:59 AM
* Source: n/a
* Location: Crawley