Heavy fine for Stockton-on-Tees pirate
November 26, 2024
By Colin Mann

A licensee in Stockton-on-Tees in the northeast of England has been ordered to pay a total of £19,950.24 (€23,900) in damages and costs for infringing Sky’s copyright by showing Sky Sports programming illegally in their premises, following successful legal action taken by Sky.
Sky sought, and was awarded, damages and costs in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC). The licensee has been ordered to pay damages in the total sum of £12,163.24, plus interest and must also pay Sky’s costs of £7,786.40.
The premise and licensee is:
The Bank, 53 High Street, Stockton-on-Tees, TS20 1AH – Donald Laroche (PLH & DPS)
This successful case forms a key part of Sky’s commitment to protecting pubs who invest in legitimate Sky Sports subscriptions. Sky is dedicated to taking action to protect the investment of our customers and ensuring that they aren’t unfairly losing business due to those that are illegally showing Sky Sports in their venue. Sky is committed to visiting every licensed premises reported by other publicans and/or organisations for illegally showing Sky and have arranged to visit hundreds of pubs each week in towns and cities across the UK.
“Now more than ever it’s important to protect the investment of our customers,” declared Sara Stewart, Head of Compliance at Sky Business added. “Businesses that show Sky Sports illegally can leave our legitimate Sky subscribers feeling short-changed.”
“Venues who continue to televise content in this way are breaking the law, and are at risk of being caught, which can result in licensees being ordered to pay significant damages and legal costs to Sky,” she warned.