Paul Brogden of Sure Computers in Bideford, Devon engaged in a price war with Colin Baglow, a former friend who ran a rival and more successful company, Complete Computers. Brogden sent Baglow a virus as an attachment to an e-mail which said, “Our latest prices are attached, please take a look.” Staff at Complete Computers were suspicious and detected the virus, so it did no harm. Brogden’s lawyer said in his client’s defence that in any event the virus had only “nuisance value.”
According to the report at Sophos.com, Exeter Crown Court sentenced Brogden to 175 hours of community service and confiscated his computer equipment. Judge Jeremy Griggs put the attack down to “an isolated childish prank,” adding that if he thought there were more serious implications, he would “impose an immediate and substantial custodial sentence.”