Blackmailing NZ hacker back in prison

An international computer hacker who tried to blackmail a US school teacher is back in prison after his sentencing was stopped at midpoint in Auckland today.

Polish-born Tomasz Grygoruk, 22, attracted the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation when he hacked into the email of a Pennsylvania school teacher and threatened to go public with details of a relationship with a student.

The relationship was later found to be appropriate.

In the High Court in Auckland today, Grygoruk was to be sentenced on five charges of blackmail, altering a document with intent to defraud, accessing a computer for dishonest purposes, and using a document for pecuniary purposes.

However, Justice Lynton Stevens said there were some aspects of the probation report that needed to be explored before he could sentence Grygoruk.

Those included his access to a computer and the internet if he was granted home detention and the availability of alcohol and drug programmes.

He said the case had several unusual features, including Grygoruk's youth, his mental health background.

He said the court needed "serious assurances" from Grygoruk's family some of the conditions suggested as part of his sentence would be met.

Grygoruk admitted five charges after initially pleading not guilty to three. He was to have stood trial in Auckland next month.

He tried to extort thousands of dollars from the American teacher.

An FBI agent was in New Zealand late last year to help in the case and the court heard today that extradition to the United States for Grygoruk to face charges there would depend on the New Zealand case.

The court also heard Grygoruk continued to offend for the 17 months he was on bail on the original charges.

Grygoruk will be back in court to be sentenced next month.

- NZPA