Sydney man charged with using AI-generated scraper to steal court documents

In a case that may become an Australian precedent, Christopher John Duff, 40, has entered a not-guilty plea to four charges of accessing restricted data after a breach of a NSW courts online registry. Investigators allege he used generative AI to write Python scraper code that downloaded tens of thousands of pages of confidential documents between January and March 2025. After the breach was discovered, Duff is said to have consulted ChatGPT for advice on the legality of his actions and how to respond to police questioning.

Prosecutors intend to rely on the ChatGPT transcript and forensic testimony during the trial, which is being heard before Judge Lisa Graham at Downing Centre Local Court. Defence counsel Daniel McMahon warned that the volume of evidence—estimated at over 10,000 pages—makes the hearing exceptionally complex. Duff was granted bail in April with conditions limiting his communications to a basic mobile phone.