Gregor McGill, a senior lawyer at the Crown Prosecution Service, said:
“The CPS has today authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Ben Ashford with one offence of possession of criminal property and one offence of unauthorised access to computer material.
“He will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 15 October 2013.
“May I remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against Ben Ashford will now be commenced and that he has a right to a fair trial. It is very important that nothing is said, or reported, which could prejudice that trial. For these reasons it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.”
The full charges are as follows:
Between 11/10/09 and 16/10/09 Ben Ashford possessed criminal property, namely a mobile telephone belonging to Emma Murray, knowing or suspecting it to constitute a person’s benefit from criminal conduct.
Contrary to section 329(1) Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Between 11/10/09 and 16/10/09 Ben Ashford caused a computer to perform a function with intent to secure unauthorised access to a program or data held in a computer, knowing that such access was unauthorised.
Contrary to section 1(1) Computer Misuse Act 1990.
