A football fan has been jailed for three years and four months after running an illegal fire stick streaming service from his home.
Jonathan Edge, 29, received the prison sentence after pleading guilty to three offences under the Fraud Act.
The prosecution was led by the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) as part of a major crackdown on illegal streaming of Premier League matches.
Edge operated his illicit business by advertising through word of mouth and loading data onto fire stick devices in exchange for cash payments.
He would load the illegal streams onto Amazon fire sticks and sell them from his home
PA
The operation was run entirely from his home, where he would modify the streaming devices.
The Premier League has been actively targeting individuals, shops, bars and restaurants as part of their campaign to stop illegal match streaming.
The severe sentence was intended to serve as a clear deterrent, as illegal streaming costs the industry millions each year.
Detective Sergeant Steve Frame from Merseyside Police welcomed the sentence, emphasising their commitment to tackling intellectual property theft.
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The Premier League has been cracking down on illegal streams
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“Many people see no harm in illegally streaming TV services but they are wrong, and this outcome should serve as a further warning how seriously such copyright theft continues to be taken,” he said.
Kevin Plumb, Premier League General Counsel, highlighted the severity of Edge’s actions and thanked Merseyside Police for their support throughout the case.
“We will continue to pursue legal action against those supplying unauthorised access to Premier League football, regardless of the scale or mode of operation. Ignoring warnings to stop only served to make the consequences worse for the individual,” he said.
Plumb emphasised that selling broadcast rights supports the Premier League’s financial contribution to the football pyramid, with courts recognising the importance of safeguarding these rights.
The Premier League employs sophisticated anti-piracy software to track down and shut down illegal streams.
The organisation has made it clear they will continue to protect their broadcasting rights through investigations and prosecutions at every level.
“No matter the scale, we will continue to protect these rights by carrying out investigations and prosecuting illegal operators at every level,” Plumb added.