Travel agent hacks rival

A HOBART travel agent accused of hacking into a rival’s booking system during a battle for Tasmania’s largest corporate account has pleaded guilty to 48 counts of the unauthorised access of a computer.

Lee-Anne Marie Levett, 51, of Howden, appeared in the Supreme Court yesterday to admit a series of crimes committed from 2011 to 2013.

Crown Prosecutor Jackie Hartnett told the court Levett and her husband Simon Levett were joint owners of The Travel Studio in Salamanca Square , specialising in leisure and corporate bookings.

Ms Hartnett said in July 2011 the University of Tasmania started a tender process for its staff travel, the most lucrative corporate account in the state.

The Travel Studio signed up to the tender process, as did rival agency Andrew Jones Travel. The court heard both agencies used the same software system, known as Tramada.

Ms Hartnett said Levett used the Tramada logon and password of a former Travel Studio employee — who was now working at Andrew Jones Travel — to access the sensi- tive business records of her rival.

“It was a computer system that contained not only confidential financial documents relating to Andrew Jones Travel, but also contained large amounts of confidential information concerning individuals, including addresses, phone numbers and credit card details,” Ms Hartnett said.

“By doing so, the accused gained a significant, unlawful and unfair advantage in the tender process, a process which did not conclude until November 27, 2011.”

The court heard after The Travel Studio and Andrew Jones Travel were declared joint winners of the UTAS account, Levett continued to illegally access her rival’s system in a failed bid to win greater market share. When police arrived unannounced at The Travel Studio on February 14, 2013, Levett asked if she could change business appointments before they seized computers.

“With the police officers standing there, the accused took this opportunity to move the unique Andrew Jones Travel computer system web link to the recycle bin in an attempt to conceal incriminating evidence,” Ms Hartnett said.

Levett’s lawyer, Phillip Zeeman, told Acting Justice David Porter his client disputed a number of the Crown facts.

Acting Justice Porter allowed parties more time to discuss their differences, continued Levett’s bail and adjourned the matter until 10am today.