China has sentenced two computer hackers to death to deter the growth of computer crime.

The sentence was imposed on the brothers Hao Jinlong and Hao Jingwen, who hacked their way into a state-owned bank and transferred money into secret accounts. One of the brothers was a bank accountant.

The judge in Zhenjian, Jiangsu province, said that hacking was a new form of crime and should not be treated lightly, according to a report in the Legal Daily.

The total sum they obtained was 260,000 Renminbi (£21,500). Although a large sum by Chinese standards, the sentence is unusually severe.

China has shown increasing concern about loopholes in its computer systems, which are being exploited both by political dissidents and for financial fraud.