Gordon Ramsay's father-in-law jailed for email hacking
Gordon Ramsay's father-in-law Chris Hutcheson has been sentenced to six months in prison after admitting conspiracy to hack the chef's computer systems after he was sacked from his role as chief executive of Gordon Ramsay Holdings.
Hutcheson Snr, 69, and his sons, Adam Hutcheson, 47, and Chris Hutcheson Jr, 37, admitted a scheme to hack into Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRHL) between October 23, 2010 and March 31, 2011.
Hutcheson Snr, the father of Ramsay's wife, Tana, plotted with his sons to break into the restaurateur's emails and find financial details and other information, some appeared in the News of the World newspaper.
Sentencing Hutcheson and his sons, Judge John Bevan QC said: "The whole episode of five months amounts to an unattractive and unedifying example of dirty linen being washed in public."
Chris Hutcheson Jr and Adam Hutcheson were given four-month jail terms, suspended for two years.
In October 2010, Hutcheson was sacked by Ramsay as chief executive of Gordon Ramsay Holdings and the following year the pair ended up in a High Court battle, with Ramsay alleging his computers had been hacked. He blamed Hutcheson amid claims that emails between Ramsay and his wife, Tana, had been read by a third party.
Prosecutor Julian Christopher QC confirmed to the court that after the civil case ended the families had become reconciled and as a result neither Gordon nor Tana supported the criminal prosecution.
But Hutcheson Snr and his sons were charged in February this year as part of a Metropolitan Police computer hacking probe.
Orlanda Butland, Tana Ramsay's sister, was also charged but pleaded not guilty and no evidence was offered against her.
In January 2003, Hutcheson Snr was sentenced to 220 hours' community service after pleading guilty to acting as a director while disqualified in relation to a business unconnected to the restaurant empire.
His son Adam was sentenced to 100 hours of community service. The case revolved around a company Kestrel Mould and Tooling which went bankrupt after amassing a £900,000 tax debt.
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