No verdict today on landmark satellite football appeal
A High Court judge in the landmark foreign satellite football appeal hearing has said he and his fellow judge will "take our time" to reach a verdict.
The MA understands that it could be up to three months until a verdict is given in the appeal by Portsmouth licensee Karen Murphy.
No verdict was given today, the second day of the two-day hearing, and Mr Justice Pumfrey told the court: "We will take our time to consider our views."
Murphy, of the Red, White & Blue, is appealing against her conviction for screening Premiership football via Greek channel Nova Supersport.
Media Protection Services (MPS), on behalf of the FA Premier League (FAPL), outline its case in the hearing earlier today.
QC Howe, for Murphy, said this morning: "We say that the Nova programme is made from Greece and therefore the programme she (Murphy) watched had not been provided by a broadcasting service in the UK."
He added: "They (MPS) contend that the Nova programme is the same as the feed it receives from the FAPL. We say it isn't."
The appeal team is hoping to prove that signals were broadcast from Greece after Nova took the Premier League's feed and added its logo and Greek commentary.
The appeal team is also seeking to prove that the broadcast is interrupted because of a time delay in its transmission via Nova.
QC Mellor, for MPS, said that Nova only had the authority to "allow people in Greece to receive the signals" and "nowhere else" because of its contractual agreement with the Premier League.
He added: "What the person here (Murphy) knows is she has to pay £4,000 or £5,000 for the Sky service but cancels it and buys a £800 service."
It is the first foreign satellite case to reach the High Court and thousands of licensees are taking a keen interest in the case, which should give the clearest ruling to date as to whether the use of foreign satellite systems to broadcast Premier League matches in the UK is legal.
Case history: The Murphy timeline27 June'06: Acquited by Judge Arnold as she had not received the transmission dishonestly. She had a letter from her brewery Gales recommending she took the Nova system.
26 Jan'07: Found guilty of two offences relating to breaching the FA Premier League's copyright at Crown Court by Judge Arnold. Fined £8,000.
15 March'07: Appeals decision in Crown Court. Conviction upheld by Judge Iain Pearson.
29 Nov'07: High Court appeal commences
