The individuals behind three pirate streaming organisations, which offered illegal access to watch Premier League matches, have been jailed for a total of 30 years and 7 months. In what is understood to be the world’s largest-ever prosecution of an illegal streaming network, five people were sentenced at Chesterfield Justice Centre after being found guilty […]

Barry Stapleton and Michaela Stapleton, the Licensees of the Devonport Arms in Paignton, Devon in the southwest of England, have been found guilty, in their absence, of three offences related to the dishonest broadcast of Sky televised programming. UK intellectual property protection organisation FACT brought the criminal prosecution against the Licensees at Plymouth Magistrates Court, […]

UK intellectual property protection organisation FACT has recognised police and Trading Standards for outstanding contributions towards combatting intellectual property crime. FACT’s Excellence Awards acknowledge the exceptional efforts of police and other law enforcement individuals across the UK for their support in the fight against piracy. An awards ceremony in the city of Birmingham, honoured a […]

Action is being taken across Ireland to crack down on illegal streaming. Legal warnings are being delivered in person, by post, and by email to individuals across the country involved in providing illegal access to premium TV content, including from Sky and the Premier League. The cease-and-desist notices instruct those running the services to immediately […]

Clinton Hartland, licensee of The Watering Trough pub in Walsall, West Midlands has been found guilty in his absence of two offences of dishonest reception of a television transmission. In this case, Hartland televised Sky Sports football matches, with the intent to avoid payment of the applicable commercial subscription charge. Sky Sports is only available […]

Throughout January 2023, UK intellectual property protection organisation FACT and police are visiting homes across the UK, serving notices to individuals to cease illegal streaming activities with immediate effect and informing users of the associated risks, which include criminal prosecution. Over 1,000 individuals have been identified following raids by West Mercia Police in the UK […]

Research from UK intellectual property protection organisation FACT has revealed that TV and film entertainment sits at the heart of many Brits’ Christmases, with 54 per cent relying on it to keep the family entertained. While this comes as no surprise, the research also shows that almost a quarter (23 per cent) of consumers will […]

Ahead of the Tyson Fury vs Derek Chisora heavyweight bout on December 3rd, only available in the UK via BT Sport Box Office, Kieron Sharp, CEO of UK intellectual property protection body FACT, has highlighted the dangers of illegal streaming. “As anticipation grows ahead of the boxing match between the return of Tyson Fury and […]

A UK man who ran an operation offering illegal access to Premier League football has received a suspended eight-month prison sentence. Peter Dilworth, from Wirral, Merseyside, in the northwest of England, who operated a service offering illegal access to sports and entertainment content appeared in Liverpool Crown Court, having pleaded guilty to the charges brought […]

Michael Hornung, who in June 2022 was jailed in his absence to four and a half years in prison for selling set-top boxes giving illegal access to Sky TV, BT Sport, and Virgin Media, has been ordered to pay more than £250,000 (€288,000) under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester […]