Cyber security expert who hacked hunt officials sentenced

On 9 December, a cyber security expert who hacked into hunt officials’ online accounts before leaking the confidential data, was sentenced at Bath Magistrates’ Court after admitting six hacking-related charges.

Magistrates heard that Abi Waddell, an animal rights sympathiser, used her expert IT skills to gain access to email, social media and cloud storage accounts of hunt officials and other hunt supporters across the country. 

With a background in corporate investigations, Waddell has previously worked with the police and the National Crime Agency, with magistrates hearing that she used her IT skills in a “misguided” attempt to tarnish the reputation of hunting.

Prosecutor Jane Cooper told the court that thousands of individuals nationwide were affected by the 54-year-old single mother-of-three’s crime: “This defendant had no lawful authority to access any of these accounts. All the victims only became aware when confidential details from those accounts were posted online.”

Some of the victims include hunt officials connected with the Westerby Bassett Hounds based in Leicestershire, the Taunton Vale Harriers, the South Dorset Hunt and the Llanwnnen Farmers Hunt in West Wales. All five of the six victims named at Bath Magistrates’ Court reported being “worried, mortified and embarrassed” at what had happened to each of them throughout the period between January 2019 up until Waddell’s arrest in November 2021.

Despite her expertise in IT, Waddell, failed to disguise one of her computers which was registered in an area covered by Avon and Somerset Police and subsequently led to her identity being discovered.

A report by a clinical psychologist stated Waddell had been diagnosed as autistic and had problems with normal social reciprocity and interaction.

Waddell, from Bristol, escaped jail but was sentenced to four months imprisonment on each charge to run concurrently and suspended for a year. She was also ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid community work, pay a fine of £154, costs of £200 and her laptop - which still contained the personal data - will be destroyed.

Polly Portwin, Director of the Campaign for Hunting at the Countryside Alliance welcomed the sentencing:

“Email and online account hacking doesn’t just steal data; it steals trust, invades privacy, and leaves victims grappling with the fear of what might come next so we are delighted that justice has prevailed.”

The British Hound Sports Association (BHSA), which worked closely with the police and the hunts it represents throughout this lengthy investigation, expressed their gratitude to the individuals who bravely came forward to give evidence against Waddell:

“Without the determination of a few people to make statements and ultimately to stand up in court and give evidence, the job of the police would have been much harder, if not nigh on impossible.  The BHSA, along with the entire hunting community, owes a huge thanks to all who contributed to ensuring justice was served."