September 13, 2005 — (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — According to reports released Thursday, Cliff Stanford, the founder of Demon Internet and Web hosting company Redbus, pleaded guilty to email interception charges in the UK this week. Stanford and co-defendant George Liddell were accused of conspiring to intercept email sent to Redbus chairman John Porter, the son of former Conservative leader Dame Shirley Porter.
Both defendants pleaded guilty on Tuesday to interception of communications contrary to the RIPA Act of 2000. The Crown had dropped blackmail charges against the two men. The interception of the email took place during a boardroom power struggle at the London-based hosting firm Redbus.
Judge Geoffrey Rivlin sentenced Stanford to six months imprisonment suspended for two years. He was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £7,000 prosecution costs. Liddel was also sentenced to six months suspended for two years.
Sanford’s lawyers said he would appeal the judge’s interpretation of the law in his case.
