Staffs licensee has foreign satellite conviction quashed

A licensee has had his conviction for screening Premier League football via a foreign satellite system quashed by the High Court.

In March last year, Gregory Turner, of the Golden Cup, Main Street, Yoxall, Burton-On-Trent, was ordered to pay £19,294 in costs after losing his initial appeal over a £500 fine.

But on 1 March this year, the High Court quashed both the original conviction and a subsequent decision by Stafford Crown Court confirming the conviction.

Both courts were ordered to repay to Turner everything he had paid by way of fines and costs.

High Court judges ruled that Stafford Crown Court had not considered the impact of EU law on the case. The long-running Karen Murphy case is currently being considered by judges at the European Court of Justice.

Although, Turner had been using Arab Radio and Television (ART) Network to screen games, he argued that ART were also trading in Italy.

"The High Court did not hesitate to overturn the decisions of the lower courts and quash the original conviction," said Turner's lawyer, Paul Dixon of Molesworths solicitors of Rochdale.

"Greg and his family can now put this episode behind them and concentrate on what they do best, namely looking after their customers and staff at the wonderful Golden Cup."

A spokesman for Media Protection Services said: "Mr Turner recently had his conviction quashed by the High Court after Lord Justice Pill and Mr Justice Mackay ruled that it was unfair that he was unable to put across his defence in a hearing at a lower court.

"The decision does not affect the law and MPS will continue to take prosecutions against the minority of licensees who use foreign satellite systems to screen Premier League football."