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Hacker McKinnon will not face further action

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Computer hacker Gary McKinnon will face no further criminal action, the director of public prosecutions has announced.

The decision follows a review of the case after the Government's decision to block his extradition to the United States in October on health grounds.

Mr McKinnon, 46, from Wood Green, north London, would have faced up to 60 years in prison if convicted in the US.

Mr McKinnon, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, was permitted to stay in the UK after medical reports showed he was very likely to try to kill himself if extradited.

The decision not to extradite "disappointed" US authorities.

Director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer said that between February 1, 2001 and March 19, 2002, Mr McKinnon allegedly gained unauthorised access to 97 US Government computers.

He said: "Following discussions between the US Department of Justice, the police and the Crown Prosecution Service in the autumn of 2002, a decision was taken that the appropriate place for Mr McKinnon to be tried was the United States."

As a result, the US sought Mr McKinnon's extradition for trial in the US. The decision was affirmed in 2009 and a subsequent challenge to this in the High Court, failed, Mr Starmer said.

However, on October 16, Home Secretary Theresa May decided not to extradite Mr McKinnon to the US.

Hacker McKinnon will not face further action


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