Teenager who blagged his way into email and phone accounts of top American intelligence officials 'thought he could change US policy from his bedroom' on Leicestershire housing estate

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Pictured: Kane Gamble, now 18, arriving at the Old Bailey today

A teenager who blagged his way into the email and phone accounts of senior US intelligence officials has damaged the 'effectiveness' of the wider law enforcement community, a court has heard.

Kane Gamble, 18, founder of Crackas With Attitude (CWA), got his hands on 'extremely sensitive' documents on military and intelligence operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Old Bailey was told.

Between June 2015 and February 2016, he targeted high-profile figures such as then-CIA chief John Brennan and FBI deputy director Mark Giuliano from his family home on a Leicestershire housing estate.

Rather than hacking their accounts, he impersonated his victims and conned call centres at communications giants Comcast and Verizon into divulging confidential information.

Last October, Gamble, of Linford Crescent, Coalville, pleaded guilty to eight charges of performing a function with intent to secure unauthorised access to computers and two charges of unauthorised modification of computer material.

The teenager, who was aged 15 and 16 at the time, appeared at the Old Bailey to be sentenced, supported by his mother.

Former Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John Brennan (left) and former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson (right) were among the high-profile figures targeted by Gamble

Inconspicuous: The teenager launched the attack on military security experts from the bedroom of his family's modest home in Coalville, Leicestershire

Prosecutor John Lloyd-Jones QC said aggravating features included the 'invasion' of victims' professional and private lives as well as their families.

He highlighted the level of sophistication and persistence in the attacks as well as the damage caused.

He said: 'So many of the American witnesses attest to a drop in confidence in the use of portals, many of the agencies withdrawing their contributions, reducing the effectiveness in the wider law enforcement community in America.'

Mitigating, William Harbage QC described Gamble's actions as a naive response to what he read about in online chat rooms.

'In a naive, immature and childish way, he thought he could do something about it, he could make a nuisance of himself by targeting people in America and that would somehow get them to change US policy as a result of what he was doing from his bedroom.'

He said the defendant never meant to 'harm and traumatise people on an individual basis'.

He added: 'When members of the families were brought into it, he did not think through the consequences. The thought seems to have been 'I want to grab attention of the US government and getting the families involved is some way that will grab attention even more'.'

Gamble hacked FBI Deputy Director Mark Giuliano (pictured) from his family home on a Leicestershire housing estate

The teenager targeted a Comcast cable TV and broadband account belonging to James Clapper, director of national intelligence under President Barack Obama.

Other victims included Mr Obama's deputy national security adviser, Avril Haines; his senior science and technology adviser, John Holdren; the then secretary of homeland security, Jeh Johnson; and FBI special agent Amy Hess.

Gamble used a TV in Mr Johnson's family home to post the message 'I own you'.

He leaked some of the information he gathered using various websites including WikiLeaks.

Gamble, who was said to have an autistic spectrum disorder, will be sentenced by Mr Justice Haddon-Cave.

Guidelines put the maximum sentence at two years' detention and training if Gamble had been dealt with at the time of the offence.

The prosecution has asked for a serious crime prevention order and the confiscation of Gamble's computers and iPhone.

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