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Dunn resigned under the dark cloud of a spying scandal when it emerged that HP chiefs had hired companies that used legally dubious methods to spy on members of the media and its own board in order to track down a leak of confidential information.

She appeared at a Santa Clara County court yesterday for a brief hearing before continuing to the sheriff's office to be booked. Although Dunn admits errors of judgement were made in the HP leak investigation, she has so far denied any personal criminal wrongdoing.

Dunn and four defendants from other companies employed

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by HP in the espionage are charged with using fraudulent means to obtain confidential information and unauthorized access to computer data, alluding to the revelation that reporters had their personal phone records accessed using 'pretexting'. They are also charged with identity theft and conspiracy to commit the previously listed crimes.

The fraudulent obtaining of information carries a year gaol term, the maximum penalty for unauthorised access to computer data is $10,000 and three years in jail, while identity theft carries a maximum of $1,000 and a year in jail. The charge of 'pretexting', or pretending to be someone else in order to gain information on that person, is not yet illegal in California.

Alongside Dunn, HP's former lawyer Kevin T. Hunsaker, private detective Ronald L. DeLia, information broker Joseph DePante, owner of Action Research Group, and Bryan Wagner, alleged to have acquired private phone records for Mr DePante, have also been charged with the same felonies.

These others have also agreed to give themselves up to the authorities, with the exception of DePante, who has not yet been contacted with the request.