East London licensee hit with £5k fine for illegal Sky Sports coverage

The successful prosecution of Patricia Lahoud by The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) is the latest in a series of a convictions by the body in the last year relating to illegal Sky Sports coverage.

Ms Lahoud was found guilty at Stratford Magistrates Court of four offences of dishonest reception of a television transmission - a Sky televised football match - at the Acorn. Alongside the fine and costs, she now also has a criminal conviction.

Stephen Gerrard, Prosecuting Manager, FACT, said: “This is a serious issue - licensees, employees and associated companies can each face fines of up to £5,000 for every offence they commit, or each match that they show.

“On top of this, the court can order legal costs to be paid and there is a requirement to inform the local licensing authority of the criminal offence, which can impact their license - it simply isn’t worth the risk.”

Alison Dolan, Deputy Managing Director, Sky Business, said: “Copyright infringement creates an uneven playing field for thousands of hardworking licensees who legitimately invest in Sky Sports.

“This is why we are committed to visiting thousands of pubs this season, as well as investigating suppliers and continuing to support FACT’s work to protect our legitimate Sky customers and ensure they are not left short-changed by illegal activity.”

Any licensee affected by these issues can report suspected illegal broadcasting in confidence at http://business.sky.com/fighting-fraud​