Portsmouth licensees may escape fines over foreign broadcasts
Three more Portsmouth licensees look likely to escape prosecution for showing Premiership football via a foreign satellite on the basis they were not acting dishonestly.
The three licensees were due to appear in court this week charged with breaking copyright laws. But the Premier League and Media Protection Services have postponed the hearings, after another Portsmouth publican - Andrew Cornwall of the Three Marines in Southsea, escaped a fine yesterday.
It follows a decision last week when Karen Murphy, licensee of the Red, White and Blue in Southsea, was found not guilty of dishonesty for showing football through Greek operator Nova.
Despite the rulings, the Premier League has reiterated its position on the showing of Premiership football via foreign satellite systems. Dan Johnson, the Premier League's chief spokesman, said: "The law is clear - showing Premiership football on anything other than Sky is illegal."
The licensees that have escaped fines so far have won by proving they were not acting dishonestly. Mrs Murphy claimed she was introduced to her system by her brewery at the time, Gale's. And last month Shaun Redfern, licensee of the Swan, in Braintree, Essex, also escaped punishment with the same plea.
But Mr Johnson added: "The more these cases are reported and the more prosecutions there are, the less justification publicans have for claiming they were unaware they were breaking the law."
He added that pursuing the three other Portsmouth licensees was "under discussion". "We don't want to waste our time, or the court's time," he added.
A review hearing will take place next Wednesday (June 12) when the Premier League will tell the court whether they will press ahead with the cases.
Licensees found guilty of breaching copyright laws face a maximum fine of £5,000.
Paul Dixon, head of licensing and regulatory affairs at solicitors Molesworths Bright Clegg, which is handling the Portsmouth cases, said: "A review of the Premier League's procedure for prosecuting licensees is long overdue."
