The first eBay seller to be prosecuted for bidding in his own auctions to boost the price of his goods was ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work today by a judge in the UK who also told him to pay £5,000 (€6,000) in fines and costs.

THE first eBay seller in Britain to be prosecuted for online auction fixing has been warned he could face jail as his sentencing was adjourned.