Radio Derb listeners will recall the sad story of the Chinese computer-game fanatic who lent his Dragon Sword (an object that exists only in cyberspace) to a fellow addict. On learning that the borrower had sold the sword for hard cash, the party of the first part stabbed him to death. The stabber has now been given a suspended (I guess you could say “virtual”) death sentence – i.e. basically 25 to life. (Though the Beeb can’t spell Chinese: “Qui” is not a possible Chinese syllable. The surname is actually “Qi,” pronounced “Chee,” same as my wife’s. Eeeeeek!)
(A new Radio Derb is in the works, btw.)