A dad has been jailed after selling dodgy Firesticks so people could watch Premier League football matches on pirate streams.
Liverpool Crown Court heard Jonathan Edge, 29, was a Robin Hood-like figure selling cheap streams to people who could not normally afford a Sky Sports subscription. Julian Nutter, defending, said: “Whether or not he made a significant profit is an issue which is raised.
“The point should be made on his behalf that the people who would buy his products would not be people who are likely to have the money to buy a Sky subscription.”
Edge, a dad of two, was slapped with three years and four months behind bars after pleading guilty to three offences under the Fraud Act. This includes a separate sentence for accessing and viewing the content he supplied, the Mail Online reported.
In an investigation, Edge was found to have uploaded the content onto Firesticks and was paid in cash at his home. He continued doing this despite several warnings to stop.
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Mr Nutter added that Edge’s clients “have limited income”. He added: “The people he would be been dealing with in the Merseyside area would hardly be the same as toffs in London who would have money coming in from the city.
“He was providing a service to people who would probably not be able to afford it otherwise. There’s an element of a Robin Hood to all that.”
Premier League General Counsel, Kevin Plumb, said: “The significant sentence handed down to the individual involved once again serves to highlight the severity of his actions and we thank Merseyside Police for their support throughout the case.
“We will continue to pursue legal action against those supplying unauthorised access to Premier League football, regardless of the scale or mode of operation. Ignoring warnings to stop only served to make the consequences worse for the individual.
“The selling of broadcast rights supports the Premier League’s industry-leading financial contribution to the whole football pyramid and we’re pleased that the courts have once again recognised the importance of safeguarding these rights with the outcome of this case.
“No matter the scale, we will continue to protect these rights by carrying out investigations and prosecuting illegal operators at every level.”
Detective Sergeant Steve Frame from Merseyside Police added: “Merseyside Police is committed to working in collaboration to investigate intellectual property theft and we welcome today’s sentence handed to Edge.
“Many people see no harm in illegally streaming TV services but they are wrong, and this outcome should serve as a further warning how seriously such copyright theft continues to be taken.”
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