A student
waged a sophisticated campaign of cyber-attacks which paralysed company
computers causing unprecedented damage, a court heard.

Christopher Weatherhead, 22, whose online nickname was “Nerdo”, exploited “the dark side” of computer technology, the jury was told.

From his student digs’ bedroom Weatherhead led a gang of cyber vandals known as Anonymous in the campaign in 2010.

They targeted companies such as the Ministry of Sound, PayPal and Mastercard who either opposed online piracy or had come out against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the court heard