FACT

On December 17, the Licensee and Director of the Fairfield Social Club in Swansea were found guilty of broadcasting Sky Sports without a valid commercial viewing agreement. They were ordered to pay a total of £3,800 in fines and costs. FACT CEO, Kieron Sharp, said: “This case demonstrates that broadcasting Sky Sports content without a valid commercial viewing agreement will not be tolerated. There will be serious repercussions for such illegal actions.” Sara Stewart, Head of Compliance at Sky Business, added: “Venues that televise Sky Sports illegally risk being caught and ordered to pay significant damages and legal costs.” Read the full story here > https://bit.ly/3VMrtI5 #contentprotection #compliance

The team at FACT taking part in #ChristmasJumperDay to support Save the Children UK. Their vital work ensures children around the world have the opportunity to thrive, learn, and build brighter futures. A huge thank you to everyone who participated, donated, and showed their support!

FACT, in collaboration with police are clamping down on illegal IPTV suppliers across the UK, including London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. In a two-week enforcement operation, 30 suppliers were targeted and issued cease-and-desist warnings instructing them to cease illegal activities immediately or face potential criminal prosecution. As part of the enforcement, South Wales Police arrested a 42-year-old man from Newport who was suspected of involvement in illegal IPTV operations, including the sale of illicit Firesticks. FACT and South Wales Police seized several digital devices, including Firesticks, which are now undergoing forensic examination. The suspect remains under investigation and could face criminal charges. Kieron Sharp, CEO of FACT, emphasised the serious consequences for those involved in these activities. MORE > bit.ly/4gcEGlp #AntiPiracy #contentprotection #illegalIPTV #Police

This operation has created widespread disruption to the piracy landscape. Supported by Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance members, including Sky and The Premier League, it involved over 270 officers from the Polizia Postale carrying out 89 property searches in 15 Italian regions. An additional 14 searches were conducted by law enforcement agencies abroad, including five addresses in England.

Today the team at FACT celebrated an early Thanksgiving by bringing in some delicious sweet and savoury dishes to share with colleagues. It was a perfect opportunity to take a break, connect, and enjoy a mix of delicious food and great company.

FACT were proud to be a sponsor of the City of London Police Force of the Future Awards, held last Friday night at the historic Guildhall. With a fitting 'Back to the Future' theme, the evening celebrated the heroes of the police force across vital areas, from community service and crime prevention to support for veterans and reservists. Congratulations to all the winners who have gone above and beyond with their exceptional achievements . “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads”—just more inspiring heroes like you! #forceofthefutureawards

Congratulations Lisa Wilkinson for your outstanding 20 years of Service at FACT!

The Licensee of the Red Lion Inn in North East Wales has been found guilty of two offences in relation to the dishonest broadcast of Sky televised programming. FACT brought the criminal prosecution against Mr. Jones at Mold Magistrates Court yesterday. The proceedings determined that the Licensee had broadcast Sky Sports football matches without a legitimate commercial viewing agreement, aiming to avoid payment of the relevant commercial subscription fee. Jones, the designated premises supervisor was ordered to pay total fines and costs of £3074.80. MORE > https://bit.ly/3Cq6gwZ Kieron Sharp Sara Stewart

An individual who had been loading illicit streaming services onto so-called “Firesticks” has been sentenced to three years and four months in prison. This includes a separate concurrent sentence of two years and three months for accessing and viewing the content he was supplying. Jonathan Edge, 29, from Liverpool, pleaded guilty to three offences under the Fraud Act and was remanded in custody at the end of October. His sentence was handed down today at Liverpool Crown Court. The prosecution was undertaken by the The Premier League and was supported by a number of organisations, including FACT and Merseyside Police. Relying on advertising through Facebook posts and word-of-mouth recommendations, Edge ran a service uploading illegal services on to Firestick devices in return for cash-in-hand payments at his home. His own use of the unauthorised service was treated as a distinct crime in itself. He ignored multiple warnings to stop this activity which was referenced by the judge and treated as an aggravating factor towards the sentence passed. Kieron Sharp, CEO FACT, stated: FACT are committed to investigating and acting against IP crime. Offenders should be aware that regardless of their level of operation or advertising methods, including word-of-mouth or platforms like Facebook, creating an illegal business for the purposes of selling stolen content to others will be investigated by the police, resulting in sentences such as the one given today”.  MORE > https://bit.ly/3Z0P89U