Marcus Hutchins, the British computer expert who helped shut down a world-wide cyber attack that crippled the NHS, has been charged with creating banking malware.

The 23-year-old from Ilfracombe, Devon, was arrested in Las Vegas and charged with six counts in relation to creating and distributing software that harvested banking details known as Kronos banking Trojan, the US Department of Justice said on Thursday.

Hutchins was hailed a hero in May when he found a “kill-switch” that slowed the effects of the virus that swept through computer systems around the world.

Computer virusHutchins was hailed a hero for helping to foil the WannaCry “ransomware” virus that hit more than 300,000 computers in 150 countries (Yui Mok/PA)