The bite has been taken out of computer hacker Jodi “Venomous” Jones, with the 23-year old notching up a criminal conviction for his exploits in cyberspace. Jones was today sentenced to 100 hours of community service and ordered to make reparation payments totalling $3000, for hacking into the network of internet provider Web Internet in November 2001. Yesterday he pleaded guilty in the Manukau District Court to a charge of wilful damage, with his lawyer, Karen Harding, appealing for him to be discharged without conviction. Currently working as a computer programmer, Jones claimed he would lose his job if convicted. However, Judge David Harvey thought the crime serious enough to warrant a conviction. He recommended that Jones carry out his community service teaching computer skills to the underprivileged. Full Story