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>From UK newspaper "Daily Telegraph", Fri. 2 Oct 1992 p2:-
(Hereinafter, '#n' = 'n pounds UK')
<Computer blackmail lecturer fined #500>
  A computer specialist who threatened to put a virus in a program of
a client company in an argument over a phone bill was fined #500 and
ordered to pay #500 costs yesterday. A jury at Newcastle upon Type
Crown Court took more than siz hours to reach a 10-2 majority verdict
in the case of Dr.Roy Booth, who had denied blackmail. The computer
studies lecturer from Fieldhouse Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear [in NE
England], said after the hearing that his job at Newcestle University
was now in jeopardy. Dr.Booth had threatened to insert a virus into a
computer game of Imec, a firm for which he had worked, when it refused
to pay a #400 telephone bill he ran up while on a one week stay in
America. Instead it was deducted from his fee. The lecturer said he
had expected to be paid #900. The firm agreed to pay him #450 which,
with the telephone bill deducted, left him with just #50. He said he
had threatened to insert a computer virus in an attempt to "shake up"
the company and encourage it to pay him in full. He had no intention
of damaging to the program. Judge Michael Cartlidge, sentencing him
accepted that the lecturer was only trying to get back money which he
felt was due to him. But, he added: "You employed illegal methods to
do it and you should be thoroughly ashamed of what you did."