Hacking case nears finale

THE long-running legal saga involving a computer-hacking travel agent should finally be resolved later this month.

The matter has come before Hobart’s Supreme Court on more than 45 occasions.

Yesterday, Acting Justice David Porter said he finally had the factual basis needed to sen- tence the accused. Travel Studio boss Lee-Anne Marie Levett, who pleaded guilty to 48 counts of unauthorised access of a computer, will be sentenced on November 24.

Levett, 51, of Howden, and her husband were joint owners of The Travel Studio in Salamanca Square, specialising in leisure and corporate bookings. Mr Levett is not accused of any wrongdoing. In July 2011, the University of Tasmania started a tender process for its staff travel. The Travel Studio signed up to the tender process, as did rival agency Andrew Jones Travel.

Both agencies used the same software system.

The Crown alleged Levett used the logon and password of a former Travel Studio employee — who had moved to Andrew Jones Travel — to access her rival’s business records.

The court heard after the agencies were declared joint winners of the UTAS account, Levett continued to access her rival’s system.

There has been significant legal argument between the parties about Levett’s motivation.

The Crown and Levett’s lawyer Phillip Zeeman came to an agreement on her motivation after negotiations yesterday morning.

Prosecutor Jackie Hartnett said the court should sentence Levett on the basis that, on at least one occasion, she used confidential information obtained by her offending for her own potential gain, namely by trying to win over an Andrew Jones Travel client. The case was adjourned until November 24. took place