A SOUTHAMPTON student union officer has been handed a community order after being convicted of hacking into the computer system of his old school.

Matthew Higgins, a biomedical sciences student at the University of Southampton, posed as a parent to get details about a female pupil, which he then posted online.

The 20-year-old from Colwyn Bay, Wales, was caught out when he tried to do the same thing again with another girl, but a teacher became suspicious and checked with the pupil’s mother.

Higgins, who is Southampton University Student Union’s disability officer, was given a 12-month order with supervision and 120 hours’ unpaid work.

A jury had heard he had been bullied at Eirias High in Colwyn Bay, and Recorder Catherine Brown said she was satisfied the student had wanted to “get back” at the school.

She said he must “face up” to his crime, committed in March last year, and the sentence would give him a chance to address the health issues he “plainly” had.