Criminal Law

FACT prosecution

Leeds licensee fined £10k for illegal Sky use

22-Sep-2016 By James Evison

The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) has undertaken a successful prosecution of a Leeds licensee for showing Sky Sports illegally.

Staffing

The issues of criminality when hiring - and firing - staff...

12-Oct-2015 By Adam Bernstein

Trust in your staff is key to making a business successful. Adam Bernstein looks at the problems caused by staff who steal and the potential of hiring employees with a criminal past.

Licensee hit with £4,000 fine for showing Sky Sports illegally

17-Nov-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A licensee has been ordered to pay £4,000 after being found guilty of illegally screening Sky Sports in his pub.

Cheshire licensees fined £4,500 for illegal Sky use

01-Aug-2014 By Mike Berry

Two Cheshire licensees have been convicted and fined for showing Sky Sports illegally in their pub.

East London licensee fined for illegal Sky pub broadcasts

21-Feb-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

An east London licensee has been fined more than £12,000 by Thames Magistrates Court after being convicted for showing Sky Sports programmes illegally in her premises.

Licensee to pay over £6k for illegal Sky use

25-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun

A licensee has been ordered to pay £6,301.50 in fines and costs after illegally showing Sky Sports programmes in his pub.

North London licensee convicted for using domestic Sky card to show football in pub

26-Nov-2012 By Adam Pescod

A north London licensee has been convicted and ordered to pay over £8,000 for illegally using a domestic Sky card to show live football in his pub.

Pubs warned about rogue company offering free SIA licence, training and employment

03-Oct-2012

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has urged pubs to be aware of a company claiming to offer free door supervisor training, a free SIA door supervisor licence, and the offer of employment.

Good interview preparation can help licensees avoid heavy punishment for offences at their pub

03-Oct-2012

As alluded to in a previous article, there are numerous examples of situations where someone involved in the licensed trade may end up finding themselves “invited” to an interview under caution.

Two pub landlords ordered to pay over £30,000 for illegal domestic use of Sky

09-May-2012 By Adam Pescod

Two licensees have been convicted for illegally televising Sky programmes in their pubs without a commercial agreement, and ordered to pay over £30,000 in fines and costs.

Licensees fined over £10k for illegal Sky use

02-Apr-2012 By Adam Pescod

Two Surrey licensees have been fined over £10,000 for showing Sky Sports programmes illegally in their premises.

Underage sales overkill concern

21-Mar-2012 By Peter Coulson

Other controversial changes due to come into force next month, according to the Home Office, concern sales to children. First of all the maximum fine (not the actual fine) has been doubled to £20,000 for underage sales, if they are prosecuted in the magistrates’...

Licensees fined £17,000 over Sky screening

01-Dec-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Angela Briscoe and Edward Geater of the Bold Privateer Public House in Shipley, West Yorkshire, were ordered to pay £17,014 in fines and costs last week for showing Sky Sports with a domestic card.

Is it just a load of hot air?

14-Nov-2011 By Peter Coulson

I recognise the wariness and scepticism of licensees when faced with a new breathalyser machine being marketed to pubs. They might think ‘what’s the come-back on me if I install one of these and something goes wrong?’

Clawing back your losses

18-May-2011 By Peter Coulson

Some licensees may not be aware of is the controversy surrounding the whole question of civil recovery, says Peter Coulson.

Licence suspension for publican over Sky screening

12-May-2011 By Michelle Perrett

A Coventry licensee has had his personal licence suspended for six months for illegally showing Sky. Nigel Gilder, of the Elephant and Castle, had...

Football crackdown nets 212 pubs

06-Aug-2010 By Gemma McKenna

More than 200 licensees have been prosecuted for screening football in their pubs using domestic Sky cards lats season.

Pubco directors could face prosecution under Licensing Act

05-Jul-2010 By Ewan Turney

Directors of pub companies could be prosecuted for breaches of the Licensing Act after a controversial amendment was passed in Scotland.

World Cup pub ban for two men

18-Jun-2010 By John Harrington

Two men have been banned from all pubs for the duration of the World Cup after being charged with being drunk and disorderly. Stephen Selwood, 21,...

Government backs action against pub thugs

05-Feb-2010 By Ewan Turney

Assaults on bar staff can not be tolerated and serious assaults should always result in prosecution. That's the welcome news from the Government in...

Welsh pubs to shut after sting failures

10-Dec-2009 By John Harrington

Three North Wales bars are to shut their doors over one of the busiest pre-Christmas weekends to avoid prosecution for underage sales. The venues in...

Police use texts to crackdown on drink driving

07-Dec-2009 By Lesley Foottit

Surrey police will use text messages in a bid to crack down on drink-driving this Christmas in a link-up with 118 118.

Huge fine for pub showing illegal Sky Sports

07-Oct-2009 By Ewan Turney

A North London pub has been ordered to pay £12,030 in fines after using a domestic Sky card to screen sports. Alan and Beta Johnson of the Queens...

Licensee warned over tipping

21-Apr-2009 By Matt Eley Matt

An unsuspecting licensee narrowly escaped prosecution when spirits in the pub she had just taken over were found to be counterfeit. Trading standards...

Regulation of pubs getting worse

19-Mar-2009 By John Harrington

Tough new laws and regulation schemes have lead to more rigorous enforcement of pubs, says licensing lawyer Graeme Cushion. Enforcement surrounding...

Have I got news for you?

13-Feb-2009 By Peter Coulson

If ever there was a time to take precautions, it is now, when the Government is about to tighten up the law specifically directed at the holders of premises licences, says Peter Coulson.

Licensees hit with record fine for illegal Sky

09-Sep-2008 By Matt Eley Matt

Two licensees have been ordered to pay a record £25,000 for illegally broadcasting Sky programmes. Lorraine Andrews, licensee of the Otter in...

Licensee fined for illegal Sky screening

19-Jun-2008 By Ewan Turney

Hertfordshire host convicted of five offences of dishonest reception with intent of avoiding charges

A black mark on your licence and hefty fines — is it worth it?

17-Apr-2008

Record fines are being dished out to pubs that show Sky football via domestic contracts. John Harrington reports What's the offence? Using a domestic...

Problematic three strikes law

22-Nov-2007

News that a Northampton pub has fallen foul of the "three strikes" law with regard to under-age sales brings me back to the warning I gave at the...

Satellite ruling imminent

01-Nov-2007 By Tony Halstead THals22851@aol.com

More than 60 hosts in Bolton have been urged to stick to their guns until the legal position regarding the screening of foreign satellite football is...

Sky prosecutes nearly 50 licensees

11-Sep-2007

With only a month of the football season gone 46 licensees have already been hauled before the courts for showing soccer on Sky without the use of a...

Nationwide pub sting ops planned

05-Apr-2007 By John Harrington

The Government has told every police force in the country to target 20 licensed premises in their area during the latest round of sting operations....

Pub couple in hammer-gang terror

04-Aug-2005

A gang threatened a couple with a claw hammer before stealing thousands of pounds from the pub where they worked. The couple had just left JD...

Over 400 doorstaff

28-Jul-2005

face being banned More than 400 doorstaff face being banned from working at clubs and bars for two years after being prosecuted for failing to obtain...

Host escapes jail after violent assault

10-Feb-2005

A licensee has escaped jail for a violent attack in which he hit a teenager so hard that his head went through a kebab shop window. Steve Swain, 42,...

Record fine for hosts for illegal Sky screening

26-Feb-2004

by MA Reporter Sky has obtained a record criminal fine against a pub for illegally showing programmes without a business subscription, as part of its...

Licences for catering vans

27-Feb-2003

QHas there been any change in the position on a licence for our catering van at events? We have a wide popular range of food and we are often asked...

What to do if you breach a condition of your PEL

23-Oct-2002

by Richard Williams of thePublican.com's legal team from London solicitors Joelson Wilson.If you are the holder of a public entertainment licence, it...

Antisocial behaviour

14-Mar-2001

If one of our customers demonstrates anti-social behaviour such as abuse of people or property is there anything we can do to send out a signal to...