Lath and plaster… and cement

Whoever put this cable in (I think it’s for the smoke alarms) decided it was a good idea to just cover it up with mortar. To be fair they probably thought it was a bad idea but only had sand and cement in the van and anyway it isn’t their house and it’s Friday afternoon and it’ll get papered over.
So now I have a concrete-encased cable that I either cut and replace or plaster over.
One good bodge deserves another so it’ll be the second option.