That would explain why the equipment made in the UK dies so quickly in Poland :)

The problem is, even if ground is not reused neutral, somewhere nearby somewhere nearby something may go wrong, some wire broken and before the main fuse blows, you get your mains sunk into ground...
I personally know normal, legally sold equipment that when you plug it in, in whole house touching the ground pin causes shock. (actually my laundry machine does just that... When I contacted the user support they said it's meant to be like this) - Now just connect some 3rd party ground (like your hand) to your electronics...