The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) announced that two individuals had been sentenced by the Worcester Crown Court on April 12; to 20 months’ inprisonment suspended for 18 months and 250 hours of unpaid work.
The individuals, both from Worcester, who were trading under the name ‘Titan Streams’, were convicted of offenses under the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 and the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. They pleaded guilty to illegally supplying Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) which allows access to services such as BT Sport (now TNT Sports) and Sky. The prosecution followed an investigation by Worcestershire County Council’s Trading Standards team with FACT and BT Sport.
Test purchases of the illegal services by FACT and BT led to the case being referred to Trading Standards and entry warrants being executed at both their addresses. “This is not a victimless crime,” said Simon Wilkes, Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services. “It damages the interests of those who own the intellectual property rights to the subscription TV services and can affect legitimate customers through higher subscription prices.”
An examination of IT equipment seized during the investigation confirmed that both men had been heavily involved in the provision of IPTV services with approximately 3,971 subscribers. Further investigations of their PayPal accounts showed that payments of over £320,000 had been received over three years.
Further reading
Two men convicted of selling illegal TV streaming devices. Press release. April 27, 2024. Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), UK
Why it matters
“This court result underscores the value of our collaboration with Worcestershire County Council’s Trading Standards team and our broadcast partners,” said Kieron Sharp, CEO of FACT. “The individuals behind this illicit streaming service made a considerable amount of money through their fraudulent activities and this outcome serves as a stern warning to those who sell subscriptions or devices that provide access to content without properly compensating the rightful owners,” he said.
