A PUB has been fined over the illegal screening of Sky Sports football coverage.

The owner and lessee of the Phoenix Hotel on Canal Street, St Helens were fined in their absence at North Cheshire Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, July 17.

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Camillus Christopher Hughes, premises licence holder and owner of the pub and Stephen Hewitt, lessee of the premises and licence holder were prosecuted the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) over five offences of dishonest reception of a television transmission.

This relates to Sky Sports televised football matches being screened at the pub without having a commercial viewing agreement to allow them to be shown.

The offences were committed between December 2018 and May 2019.

St Helens Star:

The Phoenix on Canal Street

Hughes and Hewitt were both fined £500 per offence and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £50, along with prosecution costs of £1,439 totalling £3,989.

Stephen Gerrard, prosecuting manager at FACT, said: “Despite clear messages and warnings we are still finding a small number of licensees who persist in using illegal systems to show Sky broadcasts.

"People found to be showing Sky in commercial premises without having entered into the correct commercial subscription agreement with Sky face criminal prosecution, costs and potential loss of licences.”