Admitting that he stole time on the Internet has earned a Paget teenager a stern warning to stay out of trouble and be able to keep a clean record.

In the first case of its kind under the Computer Misuse Act of 1986, Mark Joseph Decosta, 18, admitted using someone else's I.D. number and password to get three marathon sessions on Logic Communications' gateway to the Internet on October 7, 21, and 22, 1997.

Magistrate Edward King heard that Decosta, of White Sands Road, told Police he found Roseanne Simons' I.D. and password lying on the street in Hamilton.

He said he found it a "tease'' to have the information and not to use it.

Crown counsel Leighton Rochester said Decosta used almost 85 hours of access time on Mrs. Simons' account between July and October of 1997.

The three charges amount to $57.50 for more than 23 hours of access time.

Decosta asked that 34 other offences be taken into consideration. The total value of time stolen was $212.50.

Mrs. Simons had noted astronomical usage on her bill and with the agreement of Logic -- then called Internet Bermuda Ltd. -- cut off her computer and phone line.

The Police Commercial Crimes unit eventually traced the calls to a phone owned by Decosta.

His computer was later seized and phone log records matched IBL and telephone company records.

Defence lawyer John Cooper told Mr. King that Decosta's parents had cancelled his Internet access during exam time, but it had not been reconnected during the summer.

Mr. Cooper added: "This law is basically an anti-hacking law. This does not involve using or destroying data from a private data bank.'' He continued: "I don't think we could call it hacking. It is much like tapping into someone else's cable TV line. He has paid the full amount as restitution.'' At the start of the hearing, Mr. Cooper had suggested that the summary of evidence did not need to be read out in court.

Magistrate warns Internet `thief' Mr. Cooper added: "There is no dispute of facts.'' Mr. King however, would have none of that and said: "No, I'm going to read the charge so that I may not be accused of any hanky panky.'' Mr. King explained to Decosta that if he is convicted of any offence within the next year he will be fined $1,000.

"What that means is if you succeed in not coming before these courts in the coming 12 months this will not be regarded as a conviction,'' Mr. King said.

"You'll have no record.''