Two teenage computer hackers have been spared jail after teaching other criminals to commit credit card fraud via the internet.

Louis Tobenhouse, 18, moaned “I’ll never get a job in IT now,” when he was arrested.

Brighton students Tobenhouse and Zachary Woodham, 19, were convicted after a Metropolitan Police probe into hacking.

They stole credit card details and posted tutorials on a criminals’ web forum instructing readers how to commit fraud and avoid the police.

Woodham, a University of Sussex student, repeatedly hacked into a web hosting company called Punkyhosting. When the firm was forced to close, he sent an email gloating about his actions.

When police raided his home in Brighton, they identified Tobenhouse.

Officers discovered the pair had taken thousands of credit card details from online casinos and betting companies.

Woodham owned premium rate phone lines, and used the credit card details to call them in order to steal and launder money.

They were both also active on the GhostMarket criminals’ web forum, giving hacking advice.

Four people have since been imprisoned over the forum.

The pair were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.

Woodham, of Hollingbury Park Avenue, Brighton, was given a 12-month suspended sentence and 240 hours’ unpaid work after admitting encouraging crime, hacking, possessing articles for fraud and acquiring criminal property.

Tobenhouse, of HavelockRoad,Brighton, was sentenced to 200 hours’ unpaid work and a 12-month community order after admitting encouraging crime and possessing articles for fraud.