An Essex licensee has been ordered to pay £3,000 and had his personal licence suspended for showing Sky Sports in his pub using a domestic viewing card.
Charles Stevens of The Reindeer, Braintree was prosecuted by FACT.
His case was heard at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on Monday 3rd September 2007, where he was found guilty of three criminal offences of dishonest reception of a television transmission.
The court suspended his personal licence for one month and ordered him to pay £2400 in fines and £600 in costs.
Stephen Gerrard, prosecuting manager, FACT, said: "We will continue to see publicans pay substantial fines and lose their licences if they persist in breaking the law in this way.
"Case after case demonstrates how we are successfully pursuing and prosecuting those licensees who are fraudulently showing Sky programmes in their premises."
A spokesperson for Sky said: "This case demonstrates how seriously the courts take this issue and the penalties for illegally showing Sky programming. We remain committed to working with FACT to prosecute licensees who break the law in order to protect the interests of our legitimate customers."
