Landlord of Jinkys in Oakham fined for showing Sky Sports illegally

The landlord of an Oakham pub has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 after a court found he had shown Sky Sports illegally.

John Woods, of Jinkys in Melton Road, was found guilty of four offences of dishonest reception of a television transmission with the intent to avoid payment of the applicable charge at Leicester Magistrates Court on September 3.

The prosecution was brought by the Federation Against Copyright Theft, known as Fact.

Fact prosecuting manager Stephen Gerrard said: “This case clearly shows that if a licensee shows Sky broadcasts in their premises by any other means than a Sky commercial viewing agreement they will be prosecuted. If convicted they will receive an unlimited fine and can expect to pay substantial legal costs. Additionally they risk having their personal licence suspended or revoked.”

Following his conviction for offences contrary to Section 297 (1) of the Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988, Woods was ordered to pay a total of £6,877 in fines and costs.

The prosecution was carried out by Fact on behalf of its members. Sky claims the actions form a “key part” of its commitment to protecting pubs who invest in Sky Sports subscriptions. The company will visit more than 700 pubs each week this football season.

Deputy managing director at Sky Business Alison Dolan said: “Copyright infringement is a serious issue that is very close to the hearts of our legitimate Sky pub customers. It creates an uneven playing field for their businesses, which is why we are committed to protecting the investment our customers make by continuing to support Fact’s work against unauthorised venues as well as investigating suppliers.”