Licensees in Glasgow ordered to pay £20,000 in damages for Sky Sports infringements

Sky sought and was awarded permanent interdicts (injunctions) in the Court of Session, Edinburgh, which prevent the licensees; the designated premises managers, and anyone acting on their behalf, from infringing Sky’s copyright by showing Sky programming without the correct commercial licence.

Each licensee has been ordered to pay damages in the sum of £10,000, plus interest, and must also pay Sky’s costs and fund the publication of notices advertising the orders in local press.

The pubs are the Old Govan Arms on Govan Road and the Stables Bar on Old Edinburgh Road.

These successful cases come from Sky’s instruction to intellectual property experts from Burness Paull LLP and form a key part of Sky’s commitment to protecting pubs who invest in legitimate Sky Sports subscriptions.

Sky is committed to visiting every licensed premises reported by other licensees and organisations for illegally showing Sky and have arranged to visit hundreds of pubs each week in towns and cities across the UK this season.

Commercial Compliance Lead at Sky, Sara Stewart, added: “Now more than ever it’s important to protect the investment of our customers. Businesses that show Sky Sports illegally can leave our legitimate Sky subscribers feeling short-changed.”

“We actively visit thousands of pubs every season to monitor the games they are showing to help protect hardworking Sky customers who are unfairly losing business due to this illegal activity.”

“Venues who continue to televise content in this way are breaking the law, and are at risk of being caught, which can result in licensees being ordered to pay significant damages and legal costs to Sky, and/or losing their personal licence.”