Gordon Ramsay's father-in-law admits computer hacking

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's father-in-law has admitted computer hacking.

Chris Hutcheson, 68, was charged under Operation Tuleta with conspiring to cause a computer to access programs and data without authority.

Three of his children - Adam Hutcheson, 46, Orlanda Butland, 45, and Chris Hutcheson Jnr, 37 - also faced the same charge.

They appeared at the Old Bailey before Judge Gerald Gordon and spoke to confirm their identities.

The defendants pleaded guilty apart from Ms Butland, who denied the charge.

The prosecution accepted the pleas and offered no evidence in relation to Ms Butland.

Hutcheson Snr is the father of Ramsay's wife, Tana.

The charges relate to an alleged plot to hack of the computer system at Gordon Ramsay Holdings Ltd between October 23 2010 and March 31 2011.

Butland, of Wycombe Place, Earlsfield, south-west London, Hutcheson Snr, who has a home in Druillat, France, but gave the same address as his daughter, Hutcheson Jnr, of Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, and Adam Hutcheson, of Sevenoaks, Kent.

All the defendants were on bail.

The judge agreed to the preparation of pre-sentence reports and said all sentencing options were open. He adjourned sentencing to June 2.

Ms Butland's lawyer, Emma Collins, asked for costs on behalf of her client after Judge Gordon formally entered a not guilty verdict in her case.

He asked prosecutor Robert Sullivan QC whether the Crown's case was that she had "brought the prosecution upon herself".

Mr Sullivan replied: "Yes. Given the verdict your honour has entered I do not seek to rehearse the evidence but the decision was based on public interest not the evidential basis."

The other defendants, who were granted continued bail, face a maximum possible sentence of two years in prison.

The court heard that Hutcheson Snr is due to go into hospital later this month for a hip replacement operation.

A spokeswoman for Ramsay declined to comment.