Shahid Adnan, 42, from Everton, was jailed for three years at Liverpool Crown Court on 17 June for a major fraud involving Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). The conviction includes charges of unauthorised computer access, fraud by false representation, and handling criminal property.
Fraud Exposed by a Student
The probe began in March 2023 when an LJMU Computer Forensics BSc student submitted a pen drive for coursework assessment. Dr Tom Berry, from LJMU’s School of Computer Science and Mathematics, discovered the device contained sensitive files mistakenly copied by its previous owner, including student usernames, passwords, coursework deadlines, and financial records.
Fraud Exposed Court
The university immediately alerted police, who opened a full-scale investigation. Evidence revealed Adnan’s role in manipulating university systems and committing fraud by falsifying information and misusing confidential data.
Court Guilty Plea And Sentence
Adnan admitted to causing a computer to perform unlawful functions to access data, fraud by false representation, and concealing criminal property. The court’s sentence reflects the serious breach of trust in exploiting the university’s data security.
