The strange virtual world of 4chan...

When CCTV footage emerged of a middle-aged lady stroking a cat before dumping it in a wheelie bin, millions were outraged.

But in one murky corner of the internet, the scent of blood was detected.

En masse, an army of cyber-pranksters swung into action and culprit Mary Bale was initially outed not by the forces of Fleet Street but by users of an online community.

According to reports, they quickly established her identity, her workplace and her employer's phone number. Death threats and prank calls quickly followed. More...

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