Judge tells FAPL to target the big fish

A judge has called on the FA Premier League (FAPL) to stop prosecuting licensees and focus on the suppliers.

District Judge Gillespie made his comments after acquitting Warwickshire licensee Gary Draper of using a foreign satellite channel to show Premiership Football.

Gillespie found that Draper,

of the White Hart, Nuneaton, had not acted dishonestly because he believed his

system was above board.

Giving his judgement, Gillespie said the FAPL's costs "might be better spent on prosecuting the bigger fish rather than the sprats."

Gillespie said licensees were nearly always of good character and the "real villains" were "dealers in the decoders and cards".

Draper's solicitor Paul Dixon, of Molesworth, Bright, Clegg said: "We are delighted that yet another honest, diligent, hard-working licensee has been acquitted."

FAPL spokesman Dan Johnson said: "Licensees who use foreign satellite systems are breaking the law and run the risk of prosecution.

"However, we are in the process of targeting suppliers and once we are in a position to take legal action against them, we will do so.

"It is still of concern to us and to the licensed trade that these suppliers are using spurious - and sometimes downright false - statements to convince publicans to sign up to a service that could cost them their livelihoods.

"Any reference to European legislation, a DTI [Department of Trade & Industry] ruling or a Lindsay Hoyle MP letter in suppliers' publicity material quite simply isn't worth the paper it's written on."

Meanwhile trading standards officers in Blackburn have seized satellite equipment from four pubs accused of showing Premiership football via foreign TV channels. The pubs were the Hordens, the George Hotel, the Victoria Hotel and the Dog Inn.

"We hope to repeat these raids across the country," said Johnson.