Illegal TV boss gets suspended sentence
Supplier is first to
get such penalties
The boss of a firm that supplied foreign satellite football systems to pubs has been given a 10-month suspended prison sentence.
Mark Ronald Elsdon of Digisales was also ordered to do 150 hours' unpaid work and pay £6,000 costs at Caernarfon Crown Court. He is the first satellite supplier to be given such penalties.
Judge Merfyn Hughes told Elsdon he would have got 15 months if he hadn't pleaded guilty.
In March, Elsdon admitted four offences relating to breaches of the Copyright & Fraud Act in a landmark case at Mold Crown Court.
Elsdon pleaded guilty to four counts of supplying unauthorised ART (North African) decoder cards and four counts of offering unauthorised Nova (Greek) decoder cards for sale for receiving Premier League football. He made more than £5,000 supplying the cards to 17 pubs, the court heard.
Judge Hughes told Mold Crown Court it "was extremely unfortunate" and "ill-advised" for Elsdon to have sought the advice of the European Satellite Television Association (Esta).
Elsdon's lawyer, Owen Edwards, told Caernarfon Crown Court that part of the reason for his guilty plea was that he "didn't want to become a martyr to Esta's cause".
A Premier League spokesman said: "This judgement shows that the courts take such offences very seriously and further shows the illegality of the supply and use of foreign satellite equipment to broadcast Premier League football in the UK."
n Record fines — p14
Scots pub's football ban
Another Scottish pub
has been banned from screening English Premier League football via a foreign satellite system.
An interim interdict —
a legal undertaking not to screen football via foreign systems — has been granted against McHardy Pub Company and Karen McHardy, of Thunderton House Hotel in Elgin.
A Premier League spokesman said: "This is now the third successful interdict application in Scotland. It should serve to reinforce the message that the use of foreign satellite equipment to broadcast Premier League football in Scotland is illegal."
