Lonely heart a hotline cheat
A MAN who tapped into his neighbour's telephone line to call a lonely hearts hotline was yesterday fined $1,000 in the Eastern Court.
On July 12 last year, Chau Ka-yue, 62, of Sharp Street East, Causeway Bay, found he had been overcharged $242.40 on his telephone bill. He later learned that five lonely hearts calls on June 24 accounted for the sum.
A Hong Kong Telecom technician discovered another line had been connected to Mr Chau's telephone.
The line was traced to decorator Chong Wing-chi's flat on the second floor of the same building.
Chong, 22, admitted under caution that he had tapped into the telephone line 'for fun'.
Yesterday, he pleaded guilty before Magistrate Jonathan Acton-Bond to dishonest use of the public telephone system. He was also ordered to repay the $242.40.
