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The supervisor of a UK hotel has been fined £15,000 after being found guilty of two offences of dishonest reception of a television transmission.
Sam Tate, the designated premises supervisor of the Queens Hotel in Bootle, Merseyside, was fined £2,500 ($3,335) per offence and ordered to pay a £170 victim surcharge and prosecution costs of more than £10,200. It brought the total figure to £15,400.
The hotel had been illegally broadcasting football matches on Sky Sports.
The prosecution was brought by the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), which released a statement announcing the fine.
“These cases should send a clear warning to pub owners and licensees who show Sky broadcasts without a commercial subscription,” said Stephen Gerrard, prosecuting manager at FACT.
He added: “If convicted, fines for this offence are unlimited and you may have to pay substantial legal costs, as well as putting yourself at risk of having your licence suspended or revoked.”
The statement added that Sky is committed to visiting every licensed premises reported by other publicans and/or organisations for illegally showing content.
A typical pub Sky subscription costs about £15,000, according to the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers.
Sky, Sky Sports license, FACT, streaming, fine, broadcasting, Federation Against Copyright Theft
