February 18, 2016
The Nightjar, in Tiverton Road, was found to be downloading unauthorised foreign streams of Premier League games for the second time in six years.
The Nightjar was one of twelve pubs from across the UK that had to pay a total of more than £100,000.
Although it is not known what television supplier The Nightjar was using, the Premier League has issued legal proceedings in a civil claim against Neosat, which is accused of supplying illegal broadcast systems to facilitate pirated streams of its football matches.
A Premier League spokesperson said Neosat is the fourth supplier of illegal football broadcasts to have been on the receiving end of civil action by the Premier League.
"The feedback we have had from publicans in recent years is that we should be focusing on suppliers," they said.
"We have listened and Neosat will be the fourth major supplier we have taken civil action against in the last 12 months."
Pubs have previously attempted to avoid paying costs to BSkyB and BT, which own the live rights to Premier League matches in the UK.
The Premier League says the fines highlight the "risks" pubs face if they try to illegally pirate football streams.
The spokesperson said: "The actions against suppliers and pubs in recent weeks and months make it absolutely clear that there are huge risks for pubs when they enter into contracts with suppliers other than a commercial subscription with Sky Sports and BT Sport.
"Our message to pubs is clear. Don't take the risk and call Sky and BT to find out about their latest offers for commercial premises in the UK."
Nobody from The Nightjar was available for comment.
The fines follow similar action against the pub six years ago, when it was one of 11 pubs in the region to have been found to be wrongfully broadcasting live matches.
Alister and Charles Darroch, who then owned the chain of pubs, were fined £116,000 for using the internet to illegally stream their games in the pub in an attempt to avoid paying BSkyB for the legal rights.
They were caught when Humberside Police's critical investigation team carried out a series of raids on the pubs, seizing the computer equipment.
The father and son were found to be using an internet device to access the games via a North African television station.
At the time, Ray Hoskin, managing director of Media Protection Services Ltd (MPS), who then represented the Premier League, said: "I am disappointed that a minority of publicans still ignore the many warnings given by the courts and ourselves over a period of years, but I am delighted for the majority who still respect the law and have suffered loss of trade by the activities of rogue neighbours."
Source : http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk…8756811-detail/story.html
