A licensee whose pub was screening Premier League matches on a Saturday afternoon has been convicted of a breach of the Copyright and Patents Act.

Stephen Seager, 44, of Longstomps Avenue, Chelmsford, was convicted after a trial at Witham Magistrates' Court yesterday.

He denied the charge of dishonestly receiving a programme, namely a live television satellite broadcast, for which the rights are owned by the Football Association Premier League (FAPL), from a place in the UK with the intent to avoid payment of any charge applicable to the reception of that programme at The Anchor public house, Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, on November 22, 2003.

Lynn Griffin, prosecuting for Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact) on behalf of the FAPL, said inspectors visited the pub twice and witnessed Premier League games being shown live on a Saturday afternoon through a European channel.

This she said was contravening the FAPL rights, which block screening between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturdays in England.

The agreement does exist to European satellite companies.

After a check on October 25, 2003, where an inspector witnessed Manchester United v Fulham, a warning letter was sent to Seager.

Seager returned the letter stating he had assured by his manager the matches were not being shown and a notice was included warning that inspectors would need to give seven days notice of their visits.

The inspector said he returned to the pub on Saturday, November 22, at 4pm, and it was showing Arsenal v Birmingham.

Seager said he had no knowledge of the matches being screened. He claimed the letter he sent with the notice was to help Fact.

But magistrates convicted Seager, fining him £1,000 and ordering him to pay £2,404.70 in costs.

He is set to appeal against his conviction

Published Tuesday, September 14, 2004

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