Gentoo Sunderland, formerly the Sunderland Housing Group, has been awarded £100,000 (about $199,434) in compensation for cyber harassment. This is the highest amount ever awarded in the UK for internet libel damages.

Several years ago the firm was targeted by anonymous website Dad's Place, which made "seriously defamatory allegations ranging from corruption to nepotism and the promotion of female employees in return for sexual favors" regarding Sunderland, the Guardian reports.

John Finn, owner of rival housing firm Pallion, was later pinned responsible. Finn agreed to pay £100,000 in compensation, as well as legal fees, to CEO Peter Walls of Gentoo.

Other defendants in the case were prohibited from harassing claimants forthwith.

"We urgently need legal change to enable victims of internet abuse to have a quicker and more effective route to justice," said Walls.

Ashley Hurst, who represented Gentoo, demanded a code of conduct be brought for web publishers.

"It is difficult to see how the government can legislate effectively […] technology moves faster than the courts and there are always new technical loopholes to exploit," Hurst said.

A conduct code was suggested so "reputable websites can distinguish themselves [by signing up] as a badge of credibility," Hurst added.

The Dad's Place website was shut down in July 2006.