LAST UPDATE | 20 Mar

A UCD ASSISTANT professor has appeared in court on charges relating to using software to hack students’ data. 

Stephen Davis is accused of using “a piece of software to steal students’ passwords and access their accounts”.

The accused, who is British but has an address at Elgin Wood, Killarney Road, Bray, Co Wicklow, allegedly harassed about 50 students, and the case involves overall more than 100 victims, Dublin District Court heard on Friday.

The prosecution follows a Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB) probe, which commenced in 2023, into the use of malicious software (malware).

The academic faces 148 charges in total, including multiple counts of harassment, as well as breaches of sections 2 & 8(1) of the Criminal Justice (Offences Relating to Information Systems) Act 2017.

According to the information systems related offences, it is alleged that he “did without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, intentionally access an information system by infringing a security measure”.

The offences are said to have taken place at various locations, including the UCD campus, Belfield, Donnybrook, Dublin 4; an office at the university; and his home address on various dates in 2023.

He did not address the court and has yet to enter a plea.

There was no objection to bail, the terms of which had been agreed, defence counsel Noah Rossiter informed Judge Gerard Jones.

The Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that he face trial on indictment in the Circuit Court, which, on conviction, has broader sentencing powers.

Judge Jones granted an adjournment to allow prosecutors to complete a book of evidence, which must be served on the accused before he is returned for trial to the higher court.

He was ordered to appear again in the District Court on 24 July next.

GNCCB Detective Colin Noonan told Judge Jones that the accused was arrested at his home address at 7.21am.

The court heard the accused was cautioned and indicated he understood the caution and the reason for his arrest. He was charged with 148 offences.

Detective Garda Noonan added that the accused faces 51 charges of harassment under section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act and 96 charges of unlawfully accessing an information system.

The final charge relates to unlawfully using software to access an information system.

Rossiter, instructed by solicitor Brendan Maloney, said that his client has surrendered his passport.

Following further queries from the judge, Detective Garda Noonan alleged that the case involved UCD campus accounts and the “use of a piece of software to steal students’ passwords and access their accounts”.

The more serious charges relate to the nature of personal material stolen.

Judge Jones ordered him to sign on two days a week at his local Garda station and to remain away from the library in Bray.

Judge Jones noted that the detective agreed the accused cooperated with the investigation. The officer added that the accused was still employed by UCD.

Cashless bail was set at €100.

Rossiter said the defence was reserving its position about applying for legal aid.