Two UK residents from residents from Brighton have been given extensive community service after pleading guilty to hacking online gambling and hosting websites and stealing credit card details to sell on a ‘black’ hacker website.

Zachary Woodham (19) received a one-year suspended prison sentence and 240 hours of unpaid work for having performed an unauthorized modification to a computer, and furthermore a six-months suspended prison sentence and 120 hours of unpaid work for encouraging crime. The two sentences will run concurrently.

Louis Tobenhouse (18) was handed down two sentences of 200 hours of unpaid work and a 12 month community service for encouraging crime and possession of articles for fraud.

Investigators from the Metropolitcan Police's Central e-Crime Unit told the court that the two were arrested by the Police following extensive investigations. Woodham, alias “Colonel Root” hacked a hosting site and taunted staff over their lack of ability to prevent the hacking.

Investigations identified Woodham and lead Police to his home. A search confirmed the criminal activity and the involvement of Tobenhaus. It was reported that thousands of credit card details were involved. The two hackers were found to be regularly users of a website known to be frequented by hackers.

The website was closed down in March of this year and four members including the site’s founder were arrested for criminal behaviour.

Stuart Hosking, from the e-Crime Unit, commented: "Woodham and Tobenhouse chose to abuse their computer skills, causing a considerable amount of financial loss and anxiety to a number of innocent people.

"Woodham in particular has shown himself to be a vindictive hacker with no sign of remorse towards any of his victims."