Sky and FAPL suffer football defeat

Sky and the FAPL are considering dropping charges against three Portsmouth licensees after suffering defeat in the courts again.

Andrew Cornwall of the Three Marines in Southsea is the second of the 'Pompey Five' to be cleared of dishonesty over showing foreign satellite football.

Last week, Karen Murphy of the Red, White and Blue was acquitted after she proved she had been introduced to the system by her brewery, Gales.

The last year I had Sky their Pay Per View package went up from £400 to £1,800 - that's why I looked for a cheap alternative.​Andrew Cornwall, Southsea licensee.

Cornwall, a Punch tenant, told the court he was introduced to the system, as a cheap alternative to Sky Sports, by a fellow licensee.

He said he never believed he had acted illegally and the court accepted this.

A delighted Cornwall told the Morning Advertiser: "I think Sky are taking the 'Michael' with their prices. The last year I had Sky their Pay Per View package went up from £400 to £1,800 - that's why I looked for a cheap alternative."​

The verdict led Media Protection Services (MPS), the firm which prosecutes on behalf of Sky and the FAPL to ask the court to postpone three cases against Portsmouth licensees which were due this week and next.

They now have until next Wednesday, July 12, to decide whether to proceed with the charges.

However, Ray Hoskin, managing director of MPS said their position had not changed regarding prosecuting licensees in the future.

FA Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson said: "The law is clear; showing on anything other than a Sky commercial license is illegal. ​

"The more this is reported and the more visits MPS undertake the less justification licensees have for claiming they were unaware of breaking the law."

For more on this story see this week's Morning Advertiser.

To comment on this or any other story email us by clicking this link​

To view related articles and the coverage of last week's court case see our links below.

Your Comments - these are the views of some of our readers. To add your comments click the link above.​Christopher M Frowde​ via email 04/07/2006"Well done the Cornwalls. Sky deserve a good hammering.I received a most abusive letter from them because I live above the business and have Sky they presumed that I was watching it downstairs.Their response It must be true becau8se we were told . I have a digi box and occasionally when local rugby is being played we check the results and watch Sky or BBC News etc. Appology. Not a hope in hell. Anyway ditching Sky after a few freebies,then hpoefully we shall be able to take up this system. Keep it going."

Joe Ibrahim​ via email 04/07/2006"At long last the courts are now backing what we at Digital Sales have said all along that under the free movement of trade there is no offence in using a European system. And how the hell can you claim someone is dishonest?????. If you find a hanky on the pavement and do not hand it in are you dishonest???

When will they admit you can not carry on telling people what you can and can not do.

Mike Cobain​ via email 04/07/2006"This is just another simplistic legal procedure as far as we at Pubfootball are concerned and another major leap forward in what we have maintained to our clients that you are in no way criminally liable by using a broadcaster from europe.

If you have lost your case in the past, then you did not have an adequate defence and we suggest that you counter claim immediately.

You have been manipulated and bullied into believing this from the day and hour the new licensing laws where introduced that anyone convicted of a criminal offence would loose their licence.

Now the FAPL/BSKYB Strategy is being exposed for all of you to read..!!! An empire believed to be built on corruption could well be falling at the hands of its own greed and internal corruption.

You have a choice guys, but beware of rogue sellers who overprice and do not know what they are doing from a legal standpoint, buy from the professionals who can offer legal support as well as insurance protection and who will also be there when its time to renew.

Allan Stephenson​ via email 04/07/2006"Is it legal to knowingly show 'live' foriegn broadcasts of premier league football matches, outside of the Saturday @ 3pm slot, in my pub.

a straight 'yes' or 'no' would be helpful."

No, I don't think it is Allan. Karen Murphy was acquitted because the judge was not satisfied she had acted dishonestly. I think the same goes for Andrew Cornwall - Ed.​

David Richardson​ via email 04/07/2006"Our client at the "Three marines" was assured by us at QC Leisure that a "NOT GUILTY" would be issued as we have said all along we are a company who back our customers 100% and will fight tooth and nail to support them.

futhermore after going to portsmouth to give evidence on behalf of our client it was quite evident that the bandwaggon that MPS/FAPL/SKY would have to stop sooner rather than later....but beware you pubs who purchase equipment from rouge traders who cant prove import duty and VAT on the cards the supply on the cheap the doop will never close on these people ans further more as MIKE Cobain and Joe Ibrahim say along with QC LEISURE there are only a hand full of good operators that can offer Insurance for the equipment we supply."

Kev Jackson​ via email, 04/07/2006Congratulations to those publicans down in Portsmouth. We at United Satellite Systems always inform our customers that they should not watch the 3 oclock Sat. game. Yet again MPs are still saying to publicans that it is illegal to use a foreign satellite system.....well Murdoch's Australian....that says it all.

Stu​ via email 05/07/2006"Well done to the 2 pubs that got aquited, its time the government looked into the monopoly that sky hold and changed the rules let get cheaper footie on the box anytime you like."

E. B. Cant​ via email, 06/07/2006I would like to know, these people who have defeated sky on the subject of foriegn decoders, are they still using the system to carry on showing the games, I hope so, anyone who can defeat sky tv gets my vote.

George Peachey​ via email 10/07/2006"I would like to just say hi to the few real suppliers that have been around for over a decade and do take a genuine intrest in the nature of supplying real satellite systems and not always about making money as it has been mentioned in the past.what is forgot about is the time and commitment in which is given only in the intrest of the publican rather than the greed and extortion in which can and has been allowed to happen in the uk.fapl/sky/and now setanta should now understand the demand and also the need for european satellite suppliers in the uk to work in a conformed and proffesional manner so we can have the pubs intrest at hand and not just to make a quick buck,As the cart is starting to open for names on these forums then so must

we,kanel satellite insures that we will still be in business in the next decade and simply will not roll over and play at being the so called quote

:rogue satellite traders:last but not least i would like to congratulate all