In-laws hacked Gord PC 2,000 times
CHEF WIFE’S DAD FACES JAIL
GORDON Ramsay’s fatherin-law faces prison after admitting hacking into the celebrity chef’s emails nearly 2,000 times.
Chris Hutcheson, 68, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey along with sons Adam, 46, and Chris Jr, 37.
His daughter, Orlanda Butland, 45, pleaded not guilty and – with no evidence against her – a not guilty verdict was given.
Her three family members were released on bail.
The charges related to a plot resulting in hacking into the computer system at Gordon Ramsay Holdings Ltd between October 2010 and March 2011.
Adjourning the case for sentence, Judge Gerald Gordon said: “All options are open. It is clear the judge is going to be considering only one other option to an immediate custodial sentence and it would be a suspended sentence.” Hutcheson – father to Ramsay’s wife Tana, 42 – and his two sons face up to two years behind bars when they are sentenced on June 2. The hacking claims are the latest twist in the bitter feud between the telly chef, said to be worth £50million, and Hutcheson Sr. Ramsay sacked his father-in-law as his chief executive in 2010, accusing him of hacking emails and plundering £1.5m cash to fund his womanising. The star went to the High Court to lodge a writ but Hutcheson Sr denied the claims and sued Ramsay, who he called a “fameobsessed monster.”
It is thought he received a £2m settlement but Tana severed ties with her family when her father’s philandering emerged in court.
At an earlier hearing, prosecutor Dan Suter said Hutcheson and his son Adam used Google Mail to access emails and shared a 10-page document discussing how to “crack codes” and “access passwords”.
Mr Suter added: “A Met Police expert has reviewed those log files, and found almost 2,000 unauthorised entries into the accounts of GRHL.”
The hacking was said to have followed a picture being sent to Ramsay of Sarah Stuart, a GRHL worker with whom Hutcheson had an affair.
Once the chef realised he had been hacked, an expert identified the computer addresses of those involved.