The couple were each convicted of five offences of dishonest reception of a television transmission at Bradford Magistrates Court on 21 November following a successful prosecution by the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT).
Edward Geater was also convicted of four additional offences of dishonest reception of a television transmission at the Branch Hotel, Bradford Road, Shipley, West Yorkshire.
Stephen Gerrard, prosecuting manager, FACT, said: “Our aim is to help create an effective deterrent to publicans who endeavour to fraudulently show Sky programmes on their premises. As numerous cases have shown we successfully pursue and prosecute dishonest licensees who are then faced with substantial fines, costs and a criminal record.”
A spokesperson for Sky said: “This case demonstrates the seriousness of this issue as courts continue to deliver considerable penalties to licensees who televise Sky content illegally. Sky’s ongoing support for FACT in prosecuting licensees who break the law demonstrates our commitment to protecting the interests of our legitimate subscribers”.
There have been more than 1,500 similar prosecutions to date and there over 100 further cases are in the pipeline.
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