The teenagers who hacked TfL were known to police years before the cyber attack.

He heard that Flowers and Jubair’s trial were part of a common disorganized web of cyber crime.

The loosely organized group of young English-speaking cybercriminals has been linked to dozens of other cyberattacks, including those against retailers. Marks and Spencer and co.

But the BBC understands Flowers first came to the attention of the police when he was just 16.

In October 2023, he was arrested for low-level cyber crime and visited by West Midlands Regional Cyber ​​Crime Prevention Officers.

Police said Flowers did not speak to officers during the visit and was ordered to cease and desist to prevent further offences.

The police had the option of inviting youth to enroll in the National Cyber ​​Choice Program, which aims to steer youth away from cybercrime.

However, Flowers was already being investigated for a crime and refused to talk to the officers, so they considered him unsuitable.

Just months later, the teenager – who lived with his grandfather – committed a series of cyber crimes that escalated with a disorganized spider, culminating in a TfL attack.

NCA Deputy Director Paul Foster, head of the National Cyber ​​Crime Unit, said the case highlighted the challenges faced by a small number of high-powered criminals.

He called for strong legal powers like the proposed Cyber ​​Crime Risk Orders (CCROs) to deal with such issues.

CCROs, announced by the UK government as proposed amendments to the Computer Misuse Act, are designed to allow police and courts to put restrictions on people deemed high-risk before they commit more serious offences.

Foster said law enforcement can already take action against high-profile cybercriminals.