Portsmouth landlady wins High Court Sky decoder case
A Portsmouth pub landlady has won the latest round in her court battle with the English Premier League over her use of a Greek TV decoder to screen games.
The High Court found in favour of Karen Murphy, who runs the Red White and Blue pub, this morning, according to the BBC.
Murphy has paid nearly £8,000 in fines and costs for using the cheaper decoder in her pub to bypass controls over match screening.
But has spent six years fighting a prosecution for showing live football without a Sky subscription. She took her case to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which last year also found partly in her favour.
The High Court in London today ruled that Murphy's appeal over using the decoder to bypass controls over match screening must be allowed.
But a judge made clear that many other complex issues regarding the wider legality of screening matches would have to be decided "at a later date".
The High Court had originally sent the case to the European courts for advice on numerous points of law.
The ECJ said last autumn that national laws that prohibit the import, sale or use of foreign decoder cards were contrary to the freedom to provide services.
The European judges also said the Premier League could not claim copyright over Premier League matches as they could not be considered to be an author's own "intellectual creation" and, therefore, to be "works" for the purposes of EU copyright law.
ALMR warns ECJ ruling is not a green light to start using foreign decoder cards >>
BBPA welcomes ECJ judgment on cheap football coverage >>
Portsmouth landlady goes to High Court for final ruling on dispute with Premier League >>
Premier League and Sky resume prosecutions over foreign decoder cards >>
By Neil Gerrard
E-mail your comments to Neil Gerrard here.
Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs
Looking for a new job? Find your next job here with Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs
