Woman tampered with ESB meter

A MOTHER of two who appeared to have used a total of only €2.66 worth of electricity for the entire four-month period from December to March last year was convicted yesterday of interfering with the ESB meter at her home.

Christina Rostas, aged 20, who had been living at 23 Orchard Court, Blackpool, Cork, at the time contested the case against her yesterday.

Through an interpreter Rostas said: “I knew nothing.”

Barrister Jane Hyland, for the ESB, produced evidence to show that according to the meter readings for the house only 28 cents worth of electricity was used for two of the coldest months, December 2009 and January 2010.

In the following period of February and March 2010, the meter reading indicated that only €2.38 worth of electricity had been used. An investigation was put in place and it was discovered that the ESB box had been tampered with and that there was a hole in the base of the meter where a copper wire had been inserted to interfere with the readings.

Rostas told her solicitor, Helen Jeffords: “I knew nothing about the wire.” The defendant has been paying €10 a week to the ESB and the amount outstanding is €409.

Judge Leo Malone said he did not accept Rostas’s evidence and he convicted her of interfering with the ESB meter, an offence under the Electricity (Supply) Act.

Judge Malone warned Rostas, who no longer lives at the Orchard Court address, she would have to pay the outstanding amount to the ESB within three months.

“If it’s not paid I will be imposing a prison sentence,” the judge warned.