Leigh pub operator hit with £14,700 fine for showing Sky Sports from Irish system

21-May-2015 - Last updated on 22-May-2015 at 14:32 GMT

Sky Sports: it is illegal to show Premier League football without a subscription

A Lancashire pub operator has been convicted and fined for using a Sky system from the Republic of Ireland to show Sky Sports illegally in the premises.

Future Thinking Leisure Ltd, the premises license holder of Cheers Sport Bar – part of the Leigh Arms, in Leigh – has been ordered to pay £14,707 in fines and costs in a prosecution brought about by FACT (The Federation Against Copyright Theft).

The company admitted to the offence on Tuesday (19 May) at Wigan & Leigh Magistrates Court.

It entered a plea of guilty to four offences of dishonest reception of a television transmission (a Sky televised football match) at the above licensed premises with the intent to avoid payment of the applicable charge.

This is contrary to Section 297 (1) of the Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988.

No option

Stephen Gerrard, FACT prosecuting manager, said “We continue to find licensees who choose to ignore all advice and warnings, leaving us with no option but to prosecute.

“FACT’s message to licensees is clear. Regardless of how and where it was obtained, if they are showing Sky content without a commercial viewing agreement obtained directly from Sky, they are showing the content illegally and they will be caught and prosecuted.

Gerrard added: “If anyone has any doubts about the system in use at their premises, then they should seek independent advice.”

Sky claimed the conviction was part of its commitment to protect pubs who invest in legitimate Sky Sports subscriptions.

It said it was committed to visiting every licensed premise reported by other publicans and/or organisations for illegally showing Sky, and is visiting more than 700 pubs each week in towns and cities across the UK this football season.

Small number

Alison Dolan, deputy managing director at Sky Business, said: “There are still a small number of licensees who believe they are entitled to screen Sky Sports content in UK pubs and clubs without a commercial viewing agreement in place from Sky Business.

“This case demonstrates that the source of Sky Sports has no impact on the court’s rulings as they continue to deliver penalties to licensees who televise Sky content illegally.

Dolan added: “We will continue to support FACT’s work to protect our legitimate Sky customers to ensure they are not left short-changed by illegal activity.”