Pub fined £120k for illegally screening Sky Sports

A Surrey-based pub company has been fined more than £120,000 after it was found guilty of illegally screening Sky Sports in three of its premises.

Merlin Inns Ltd, which is headquartered in Cranleigh, pleaded guilty to 10 offences at Redhill Magistrates Court on 4 April 2016 and were fined £90,000 and ordered to pay costs of £28,500, following an investigation by the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT).

Three supervisors also pleaded guilty to a total of three offences and were each fined £600 and a victim surcharge of £60, bringing the total to a record £120,600.

“Regrettably for Merlin Inns Ltd they chose to ignore official notices alerting them to their illegal activity and refuse advice to legitimise their behaviour”, said Stephen Gerrard, prosecuting manager at FACT.

“Now the company is left with a substantial fine and three employees with criminal records.

“This result should serve as a strong warning to any pub company or employee thinking of bypassing the legitimate process to think twice about their actions. It is a criminal offence which the courts, FACT and Sky take incredibly seriously.”

The three premises involved were the Sir Douglas Haig in Effingham, The Cranley Hotel, Cranleigh, and The Three Horseshoes, Feltham.

Speaking to local newspaper Get Surrey, Ted Friswell, operations director for Merlin Inns Ltd, said Merlin Inns was “extremely disappointed with the result” and believe the fine to be “completely disproportionate to the offence”.

He said the company was considering an appeal.

For more information on reporting illegal broadcasting activity visit business.sky.com/fighting-fraud