John Silvester lifts the lid on Australia’s criminal underworld in Naked City, an exclusive newsletter for subscribers sent every Thursday. You’re reading an excerpt – sign up to get the whole newsletter in your inbox.

A hard crook with good software is a dangerous combination.

And an electronic brief of evidence compiled on an out-of-date computer program can leak more than a U-boat hit with a dozen depth charges.

Crooks can remain a threat, even from inside jail.Credit: Alamy

This is the combination of events that led a convicted murderer to learn the identity and private details of 186 witnesses prepared to give evidence in a historic case presently before the courts.

The killer – or more accurately a double killer – cannot be named, because if and when he fronts a jury in the other matter, he should be judged on the merits of the case against him, rather than his vicious and violent criminal behaviour.

The man − let’s call him Brock − is a very smart customer who knows........

© The Age