The plan involved the chef’s father-in-law and his two sons Adam and Christopher who admitted plotting to unlawfully access Gordon Ramsay Holdings Limited's system. The sons both received four month jail terms, suspended for two years. The Old Bailey heard how Chris Hutcheson (the father-in-law) had very publicly fell out with Mr Ramsay, was fired as CEO of Gordon Ramsay Holdings Ltd and then tried to access his emails to discover financial details and information – on close to 2000 separate occasions between 2010 and 2011. After their actions were discovered, Mr Hutcheson sent an email to his son saying: ‘Guess we have been rumbled. Bit late though.’
Obtain material to embarass'
Prosecutor Julian Christopher QC told the court the hack was intended ‘to obtain material that might embarrass Mr Ramsay or be useful in the ongoing dispute with him’ with information including photos provided to the press which, he said, ‘led to considerable intrusion into the privacy of the family’- claims denied by Mr Hutcheson’s lawyer Michael Borrelli.
Damages paid
Mr Borrelli also pointed out that MR Hutcheson had already paid the chef more than £1 million in damages and legal costs, plus footing another £1 million for his own legal fees from the civil case.
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