Jump in foreign satellite soccer prosecutions
The group that prosecutes for foreign satellite screenings says it has had its busiest two months since prosecutions began.
Operators of 23 pubs and clubs have been hit with fines on average of £1,174, with average costs of £712, said Media Protection Services (MPS).
A further three cases were acquitted as dishonesty had not been proven - to be prosecuted, the court has to be convinced the transmissions were received dishonestly.
MPS boss Ray Hoskin said there were more than a hundred further cases listed for appearances throughout England and Wales in the next month or two.
This week Glen Peach of the White Horse, Quarry Lane, South Shields, withdrew his Crown Court appeal against a foreign satellite conviction at South Tyneside Magistrates Court, when he was fined £400 and ordered to pay £500 costs.
The appeal court ordered that, having withdrawn his appeal at the last moment, he should pay a further £235 costs to the prosecution.
Michael Fitzmaurice, licensee of the Mariner in Mortimer Road, South Shields, proceeded with his appeal against his conviction, where he was fined £400 and ordered to pay £400 costs to the prosecution.
His appeal was dismissed and he was order by the Appeal Court to pay a further £665 costs to the prosecution.
Hoskin urged licensees not to disregard warnings from the Premier League and to contact MPS with details of suppliers.
He said it was "regrettable that a limited number of licensees were still acting on the assumption that there was some kind of moratorium on prosecutions pending a forthcoming European Court appeal".
