Judgement Day

‘On each of Counts 12, 13 and 14, you are convicted and you are sentenced to a term of imprisonment of six months . . . each . . . to be concurrent.’

The judge paused, then continued, ‘And . . . I direct, by order, that you be released forthwith upon your giving security by recognisance . . . in the sum of $500 . . . You will not be required to serve the terms of imprisonment imposed, provided you are of good behaviour for the ensuing six months.’ He then ordered Electron to complete 300 hours of community service, and to submit to psychiatric assessment and treatment.

Electron breathed a sigh of relief.

When outlining the mitigating circumstances which led to suspension of the jail sentence, Judge Smith described Electron as being addicted to using his computer ‘in much the same way as an alcoholic becomes addicted to the bottle’. Boris Kayser had used the analogy in the sentencing hearing, perhaps for the benefit of the media, but the judge had obviously been swayed by his view.

When court adjourned, Electron left the dock and shook hands with his lawyers. After three years, he was almost free of his court problems. There was only one possible reason he might need to return to court.

If Phoenix fought out his case in a full criminal trial, the DPP would put Electron on the stand to testify against him. It would be an ugly scene.

The inmates of HM Prison Kirkham, on the north-west coast of England, near Preston, had heard all about Pad and Gandalf by the time they arrived. They greeted the hackers by name. They’d seen the reports on telly, especially about how Gandalf had hacked NASA – complete with footage of the space shuttle taking off. Some TV reporter’s idea of subtle irony – ‘Two hackers were sent down today’ as the space shuttle went up.

Kirkham was far better than Brixton, where the hackers had spent the first days of their sentence while awaiting transfer. Brixton was what Pad always envisioned prison would look like, with floors of barred cells facing onto an open centre and