DUBAI A court has fined a 22-year-old British computer engineer for hacking into the network of state-run telecoms company Etisalat in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Lee Ashhurst from Oldham, England, who pleaded not guilty and told the Dubai court that he did not realize what he was doing was illegal, was convicted Sunday of misusing equipment, services or facilities provided by Etisalat.

He was found not guilty on a second charge of opening other people's E-mail.

However the court also sent the case to the civil courts where Etisalat is seeking compensation of 770,000 dollars for four days of lost business.