Executive extended home cable TV to hotel

The managing director of a Marsalforn hotel was yesterday conditionally discharged for two years for extending the cable television network from his neighbouring residence to the hotel.

Godfrey Farrugia and his wife Francesca were charged with tampering with the cable TV network and with fraudulent access to telecommunications systems at Atlantis Hotel on and before March 28, 2002.

Magistrate Giovanni Grixti heard how Melita Cable was informed that Atlantis Hotel was offering cable television in all its rooms when there was no contract with the company.

Melita Cable officials rented a room at the hotel, verified that the hotel offered cable TV and filed a police report.

Investigations showed that the cable TV network had been extended into the hotel from the adjacent building that was the residence of the Farrugias.

The magistrate pointed out that it had not been proven that the network had been extended to all the 80 rooms of the hotel but it had been proven that there was an extension.

He found Godfrey Farrugia guilty of the charges but cleared his wife on lack of evidence.