£14,000 fine for illegal Sky
A licensee has paid out £14,308 for screening Sky using a domestic card in an out of court settlement.
Licensees must have a commercial contract to screen Sky
The civil action against Neil Burgess, of Notleys in Lowestoft, Suffolk was brought by Russell-Cooke solicitors on behalf of Sky.
The case is unusual as it is a civil rather than a criminal prosecution – in prior cases licensees have also lost their personal licences.
Sky’s investigation agents visited the pub as part of their ongoing campaign to crack down on licensees avoiding paying commercial rates.
“The settlement from Mr Burgess reflects how seriously this matter is taken,” said a Sky spokesperson.
“Sky is committed to protecting the interests of our legitimate customers and will continue to take action against licensees who break the law.
“We consistently undertake a number of activities that ultimately can lead to legal action against individuals who choose to enjoy the benefits of Sky programming without the correct commercial agreement.’’
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