He is the first to be charged under Operation Tuleta

Sep 30, 2013 12:27 GMT  ·  By

Former Sun reporter Ben Ashford has been charged by British authorities with hacking into a computer and possession of criminal property. He is the first individual to be charged as a result of Operation Tuleta.

Operation Tuleta investigates computer hacking allegations related to the defunct News of the World newspaper. It’s run alongside Operation Weeting, which targets phone hacking allegations, and Operation Elveden, which targets bribes given by those involved in phone hacking.

According to Gregor McGill, a senior lawyer at the Crown Prosecution Service, Ashford will appear before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on October 15, 2013.

“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,” McGill noted.

“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,” he added.

According to police, between October 11, 2009 and October 16, 2009, Ashford was in possession of a mobile phone belonging to Emma Murray. Authorities say he knew or at least suspected that the device was obtained as a result of criminal conduct.

In addition, between the same period, Ashford is said to have “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.”

He’s accused of violating section 329(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and section 1(1) of the Computer Misuse Act 1990.

So far, 21 individuals have been arrested as part of Operation Tuleta. Two of them have been cleared.