By John Leyden forThe Register
This article has been reproduced from The Register, with
permission.
Both pleaded guilty on Tuesday to interception of communications
contrary to the RIPA Act 2000 at a hearing before Judge Geoffrey
Rivlin at London's Southwark Crown Court. The plea forestalled a
trial initially expected to last two weeks. The Crown dropped
earlier blackmail charges against the pair.
Judge Rivlin today sentenced Stanford to six months imprisonment
suspended for two years. He was also fined £20,000 and ordered to
pay £7,000 prosecution costs. Liddell was also sentenced to six
months suspended for two years.
Appeal planned
Lawyers for Stanford said he would appeal Judge Rivlin's
intreptation of the law in the case.
A statement issued on behalf of Stanford by his solicitors,
Peters & Peters, said: "Mr Stanford pleaded guilty to this
offence following what we regard as an erroneous interpretation of
a very complex new statute. The Judge’s ruling gave Mr Stanford no
option other than to change his plea to one of guilty."
"We will be vigorously pursuing an appeal with a view to
establishing Mr Stanford’s innocence," the statement added.
Stanford co-founded Redbus Interhouse in 1999 but resigned in
2002, along with two other directors, following a boardroom row
with Porter, Redbus Interhouse's then chairman. Two subsequent
attempts by Stanford to oust the board failed, and he sold his
stake in the company last year.
Stanford is a high-profile figure on the UK internet scene. In
1998 he sold Demon Internet to Thus for £33 million. He then
established investment outfit the Redbus Group, which set up Redbus
Interhouse and a number of other businesses.
© The Register
2005
