Teen hacker jailed for posting Tony Blair facts
Junaid Hussain was aged 15 when he broke into the personal Gmail account of Katy Kay, who at the time was a special adviser to the former Prime Minister.
Student Hussain, now 18, then posted Mr Blair’s personal details online, as well as details of his wife Cherie, sister-in-law Lauren Booth and other relatives, friends, MPs andpeers.
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Hide AdUsing the online ID “Trick” Hussain, of Birmingham, was a leader of “hacktivist” group Team Poison, who also bombarded the national anti-terrorism hotline with hoax calls.
Richard Milne, prosecuting, told Southwark Crown Court that Hussain and his online friends “call bombed” the counter-terrorism hotline mistakenly believing it was M16.
Ben Cooper, representing Hussain, who was granted bail so he could take his A levels, said his client was “shy and timid” and described his offences as an “ill-advised prank”.
He said: “Clearly he was extremely naive and immature and is thoroughly ashamed.”
Hussain admitted conspiracy to commit a public nuisance in hacking into Miss Kay’s e-mail.
Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said: “I have to deter others from hacking into people’s private email accounts and publishing online their personal details.”