Hacker: Donncha O Cearbhaill speaking at the Web Summit in Dublin

A STUDENT who hacked Fine Gael's website has appeared as a speaker at the Dublin Web Summit.

Donnacha O Cearbhaill (20) addressed delegates at the RDS about a digital technology known as bitcoin -- just weeks after he was spared a jail sentence for hacking the party's election website.

Mr O'Cearbhaill and 20-year-old Darren Martyn were the first to be successfully prosecuted in Ireland for computer hacking.

The two technology fanatics, who used online pseudonyms 'Raepsauce' and 'Palladium', were exposed following an investigation by the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation.

The college students pleaded guilty in July to criminal damage to the www.finegael2011.ie website, which was defaced, had its database stolen and was knocked offline for 24 hours.

Election

It was hacked on January 9, 2011, seven weeks before the General Election.

A court hard that their actions were a "stunt" aimed at embarrassing the party.

Mr O Cearbhaill, is from Birr in Co Offaly.

noconnor@herald.ie

Online Editors