Ananova:

An Australian man has been jailed for sending false financial information to millions of e-mail users.

George Hourmouzis has been sentenced to two years - with 21months suspended - by a Melbourne court after he pleaded guilty to two charges of making a false statement on the internet.

The practice of talking up share prices on the internet is known as "spamming".

The court heard he sent over four million unsolicited e-mails claiming that shares in the US company Rentech would soar by around 900%. After the e-mails were sent in May last year shares in the company doubled.

Trading in Rentech shares - which are listed on the Nasdaq index in the US - was briefly suspended as a result of the spam.

Sentencing Hourmouzis, Judge Barton Stott described the internet as a "powerful tool with global application", adding that its misuse "had the potential to cause immense harm".