Re: Usenet forgery being investigated

In article <830504913.8025.0_at_acclaim.demon.co.uk>

           Frank_at_acclaim.demon.co.uk "Frank Hendrix" writes:

> John Sharman <jayshar_at_norvic.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >In article <830418832.12915.0_at_acclaim.demon.co.uk>
> > Frank_at_acclaim.demon.co.uk "Frank Hendrix" writes:
 

> >> John Sharman <jayshar_at_norvic.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> >What exactly did you have in mind for the charge?
> >>
> >> The police suggest in the UK either Computer Misuse Act - penalty up
> >> to 5 years imprisonment. Alternatively, Race Relations Act - I'm not
> >> sure of maximum penalty.
 

> >Did they do so far as to indicate a section? It's hard to see how
> >personation of a Usenet poster would fit any of the offences under the
> >Act.
>
> The offences were suggested by the police after taking details of the
> incidents. I suggest you ask them. It probably had something to do
> with the contents of the postings and the resulting email which I
> received.

Oh. Your references to "fraud" and "the Fraud Squad" led me foolishly to jump to the conclusion that it might have had something to do with fraud. But evidently not.

> >> BT advises that under the Telecommunications Act it is an offence to
> >> transmit messages via the public network which are menacing,
> >> threatening or intimidating.
 

> >Were they any of those things? I didn't see them here in uk.legal, so I
> >don't know.
>
> Postings and resulting email were highly offensive. Articles were
> posted to numerous newsgroups and, apparently including:
> soc.culture.indian,us.jobs.offered,uk.jobs.offered,comp.databases.sybase,
> comp.databases.gupta,comp.databases.oracle,soc.culture.british,us.jobs.misc,
> us.jobs.resumes,alt.2600,uk.bcs.misc

A mixed bunch indeed. But did the offensive nature of these posts lie in their menacing, threatening or intimidating content?

> > [Newsgroups: trimmed]
>
> If you see the contents of the postings you will understand why I like
> to retain soc.culture.indian.

Still about on the servers, are they? You're kind of hinting at an attempt to stir up racial hatred. Is that what it was? If so, it's fair enough that the perpetrator be prosecuted, but that has nothing to do with the fact that he posted over your name.

-- 
Regards,

John Sharman
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