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More on KentOnline
A pub has been fined more than £10,000 for broadcasting Sky Sports 'dishonestly'.
The Red Bull in Eccles was found to have shown football matches without gaining a commercial viewing agreement from Sky Business.
George Lawson, head of commercial piracy at Sky, said: "It’s important to us that businesses are aware of the consequences of showing Sky Sports illegally – it is a serious issue that is damaging to the pub industry, and those licensees who choose to televise content in this way should be aware that they are at high risk of being caught and face substantial penalties.
"We actively visit thousands of pubs every season to monitor the games they are showing and continue to support FACT’s work to protect hard working Sky customers who are unfairly losing business due to this illegal activity"
A hearing at Maidstone Magistrates Court heard the pub screened football illegally in February, April and May this year.
Karen Turner, the pub's premises licence holder and designated premises supervisor was ordered to pay £3,606.76, including a £2,500 fine.
Turner's personal and business partner Jared Macdonnchadha was ordered to pay the same amount as was The Red Bull's manager Richard Rodal.
All three failed to show at Maidstone Magistrates Court, where they were convicted of three counts of dishonest reception of a televsion transmission.
Altogether the trio will have to pay £10,820.28.
The starting price for the pub to legally broadcast Sky Sports would be around £1,200 a month.
Stephen Gerrard, FACT’s prosecuting manager said: "Our aim is to help create an effective deterrent to publicans who endeavour to fraudulently show Sky content on their premises and FACT will continue to protect the intellectual property rights of its clients by pursuing those who continue to break the law."
Last month Sheerness pub the Goat Inn was told to pay nearly £3,000 for illegally screening football matches.
Punters can recognise if a football broadcast is legitimate by a blue pint glass in the corner of the TV screen.
The amount in the glass changes each day and only an inspector would know what to look for when they visit.
