Leith pub fined £10,000 for illegally showing Sky Sports

A Leith pub has been ordered to fork out £10,000 for illegally showing Sky Sports in their premises.

The Spey Lounge on Leith Walk which has been ordered to pay damages to Sky for illegally showing Sky programming on the premises. Picture: Greg Macvean

Sandra Dow, tenant and manager at the Spey Lounge near the foot of Leith Walk received the order following legal action by Sky.

Dow must pay £10,000 in damages for infringing Sky’s copyright for showing Sky Sports programming illegally in her premises without a commercial agreement.

She has also been ordered to pay Sky’s costs and fund the placement of notices advertising the rulings in local and trade press.

It is understood that Sky discovered the infringement during a routine check conducted by their own licensing officers.

Sky sought and was awarded a permanent interdict (injunction) in the Court of Session, Edinburgh, which prevents the licensees and anyone acting on their behalf from infringing Sky’s copyright by showing Sky programming without the correct commercial license.

George Lawson, head of commercial piracy at Sky, added: “This ruling demonstrates the seriousness of this issue and through the orders to fund advertising we hope to highlight the consequences of televising Sky’s content illegally.

“We are committed to visiting thousands of pubs every season to monitor the games they are showing, as well as investigating suppliers to protect Sky customers who are unfairly losing business due to this illegal activity.”

Sky Sports is only available to licensed premises in Scotland via a commercial agreement from Sky.

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