http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411749/620770
One News
Oct 19, 2005
A Dunedin university lecturer who hacked into a US company's computer
has finally been outed after an 18 month battle to keep his name
suppressed.
Timothy Molteno, 38, was the first person caught under new computer
crime laws. The senior lecturer in physics at Otago University pleaded
guilty 18 months ago, but wanted his name permanently suppressed.
Molteno had been employed as a software writer for US online shopping
company buymusichere.com. But he fell out with CEO Bob Lee and
subsequently hacked into the site from Dunedin - deleting and
destroying data.
Two months ago Molteno was convicted and sentenced to 200 hours
community work and ordered to pay $12,000 to buymusichere.com. Lawyer
Judith Ablett-Kerr wanted him discharged without conviction and
appealed, saying it wasn't fair to publish Molteno's name.
"Those who might have the impression that this man is a high
achieving... one of New Zealand's tall poppies who has just sailed
through this... they are quite wrong," Kerr said in court on
Wednesday.
She argued publishing his name would be stressful and confusing
because other family members have the same surname. It was also argued
that it would cause problems for the university where he worked.
However, the appeal judge said even though the offending was out of
character the conviction was appropriate and his name should be
published.
Buymusichere.com CEO Bob Lee is happy with the outcome.
"Part of being held accountable is having to face the rest of the
world... and acknowledge the fact that you've done it," he says.
Internet experts are also pleased with the decision.
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