The man who sent 5m e-mails

A former insurance company worker has been arrested for bombarding his employer with five million e-mails after he was sacked.

The astonishing horde - sent over a three- day period - clogged Domestic and General's mail server. The firm was forced to shut down its website, losing £18,000 in profits.

The 17-year-old former accounts clerk, who cannot be named for legal reasons, began his e-mail spree after losing his £120-a-week job for failing to fill in a time sheet.

The teenager, from Bedworth, Warwickshire, has admitted downloading an e-mail 'bomber', which can deliver 100 messages a second. He set it to send classic film lines.

He was arrested for unauthorised modification of a computer and will appear in court next month. He faces six months in jail or a fine of up to £5,000.