A UK Court has found a pub licensee guilty of breaching the copyright of satellite television giant Sky, by illegally broadcasting televised sports programmes without a Sky subscription or commercial agreement.
Ms Susan French, of Birmingham, has been ordered to pay a total of more than £70,000, following legal action brought before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court.
The hearing followed a Court order first issued to Ms French in November 2015 – after she was found to be in breach of copyright by broadcasting Sky Sports to pub customers without a commercial agreement from Sky themselves.
Later in Court, Ms French pleaded guilty to such offences.
She was ordered to pay £50,000 in damages and £24,000 in costs within 28 days – or risk incurring interest charges for a late payment.
Sky Business Deputy managing director, Alison Dolan, commented: “Illegal broadcasting without a valid subscription is damaging to the sector, and those licensees who choose to televise content this way should be aware that they are at high risk of being caught.
“Orders like this result from some licensees thinking that they are above the law.
“The law is clear – if you choose to televise content illegally then you run the very real risk of being caught and facing substantial penalties,” she said.