“A British court has fined a man £500 ($870, €720) for using a residential wireless broadband connection without permission.

In what is believed to be the first conviction of its kind in the UK, a jury at Isleworth, Middlesex court found Gregory Straszkiewicz, 24, guilty of dishonestly obtaining an electronic communications service and possessing equipment for fraudulent use of a communications service.”

From Digital-lifestyles

Well I’ll be. Although I don’t tend to do this, I will own up and say that when I’m in an area where I have a choice between T-Mobile/BTOpenzone at £6 an hour or an open network which will cost me zilch (ie. JFK Airport) I know which one I have gone for, I didn’t think it to be serious crime though. Although, I can understand and sympathise to a certain extent, as I wouldn’t like somebody jacking my router (which, as it happens is 802.11g+ wi-fi with no security at all) and using my bandwith. But, the outcome of this case has surprised me a little.