Sky-high fine for pub that screened football

AN Oldham publican has been fined more than £3,400 for illegally showing Sky Sports football in his pub — despite being found guilty of the offence last year.

Stephen Moss of the Highfield, Ripponden Road, was still showing soccer at the start of the year without buying a commercial subscription. He was caught four times between January and April by witnesses acting for Sky.

Last July Moss was ordered to pay £3,515 after showing Carling Cup and Premier League matches in the pub in 2011 without the right licence. He was paying a domestic subscription, rather than the £728-a-month commercial version.

Moss, who lives at the pub, didn’t attend Oldham Magistrates Court yesterday when he was found guilty in a prosecution brought by the Federation Against Copyright Theft, which acts for copyright owners.

he was fined £600 for each offence and ordered to pay costs totalling £1,060.