Foreign satellite football case heard today
The high profile Karen Murphy appeal against her conviction for screening Premier League football via a foreign satellite system is to be heard in the European Court of Justice today.
Her case, along with that of foreign satellite suppliers QC Leisure, AV Station and SR Leisure will be heard by the court today.
The Premier League is seeking a ban on importing, selling, hiring, advertising, installing, maintaining and use of decoders.
The defendants deny breaking copyright law and claim that the attempt to stop them selling the decoder cards is in breach of the EC Treaty, which guarantees the right of free trade between member states.
Murphy, of the Red, White & Blue in Portsmouth, is appealing against her conviction for screening Premiership football via Greek channel Nova Supersport. She first took up the case in June 2006.
Since there have already been fairly lengthy written arguments presented to the European Court from both sides, the actual hearing should last no longer than a few hours, according to general procedures.
From there, it will take a couple of months for an advocate general to return an independent opinion to the court, and the judge will consider this recommendation before returning his own judgment three to six months later.
The judgment will take the form of answers to the questions posed by the High Court in England, about how EU law should be interpreted in this case.
It is then up to the High Court to apply the law, as defined by the EU, to Murphy's case, and reach its own conclusion.
Murphy's Law timeline
27 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.
21 Dec'07: High Court judges Lord Justice Pumfrey and Mr Justice Stanley Burnton dismiss appeal.
24 June'08: High Court refers case against suppliers AV Station and QC Leisure to European Court of Justice
26 June'08: Murphy case referred to European Court of Justice
5 October'10: Murphy and foreign satellite cases heard by ECJ
• Legal opinion: Decoding issues in televised sport in pubs
The Morning Advertiser will bring you more news later today.
