When pranks break the law: hoax conversations

They might be meant as fun, but pranks can end up with the prankster facing serious criminal charges, convictions and time in jail.

The issue is in the news because of the notorious prank call by a Sydney radio station to the London hospital pretending to be the Queen and Prince Philip asking about the Duchess of Cambridge. The High Court has found the Australian Communications and Media Authority had the power to rule that a radio station broke the law by recording and broadcasting the hoax call without the hospital employees' consent. Tragically, the hoax call went badly wrong when a nurse who spoke to the caller thinking it was the Queen later committed suicide. The two radio hosts involved in the prank have apologised for the prank and said they are devastated by the effect their prank had.