Computer misuse offences
1 Unauthorised access to computer material.
1
A person is guilty of an offence if—
a
he causes a computer to perform any function with intent to secure access to any program or data held in any computer F1, or to enable any such access to be secured;
b
the access he intends to secure F2, or to enable to be secured, is unauthorised; and
c
he knows at the time when he causes the computer to perform the function that that is the case.
2
The intent a person has to have to commit an offence under this section need not be directed at—
a
any particular program or data;
b
a program or data of any particular kind; or
c
a program or data held in any particular computer.
F33
A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—
a
on summary conviction in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding F5the general limit in a magistrates’ court or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both;
b
on summary conviction in Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding F412 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both;
c
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine or to both.