Police warning on illegal TV streaming services follows court convictions

Police have issued a warning to anyone gaining free access to subscription television services that they face prosecution.

The warning came on Wednesday following the sentencing to two men who had been involved in the illegal sale of devices used for pirating TV channels an supplying streaming services (IPTV).

Padraig McVicker, 44, of Stanhope Street in Belfast, and Gary Doherty, 27, of Corrina Drive in Dunmurry, had pleaded guilty to a number of offences at an earlier court hearing.

The convictions on Tuesday followed an investigation by detectives from the PSNI, support by investigators from Sky.

Doherty was sentenced to 175 hours community service, whilst McVicker was sentenced to eight months in custody and a further eight on licence with respect to the offence of selling, distributing or letting for hire or exposing for sale or hire an unauthorised decoder, contrary to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. with another six months in custody for possession of apparatus for dishonestly obtaining electronic services and possessing criminal property, both to be served concurrently.

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Phillips, the PSNI’s lead on intellectual property crime, said “IPTV devices are legal when used to view free or legitimate paid-for subscription services and channels, but once adapted or reconfigured to stream content without the appropriate licenses and consent of creators, they become illegal.

“People think these are victimless crimes but often behind these services are international organised crime gangs, who engage in the most serious of offences.

“Users and subscribers of illegal services should also be aware that they too are committing an offence for which they can be prosecuted.”

DCI Phillips added: "The assistance of the Sky investigators in this instance was invaluable to the criminal investigation conducted by police, both in terms of providing information and examination of devices. The Police Service of Northern Ireland is committed to working with our partners to take action against those who use and supply illegal streaming services and the wider criminality this activity supports.”

Matt Hibbert, Sky’s sirector of anti-piracy, in the UK and Ireland said: “We were pleased to support the PSNI in taking this action, both to prevent access to stolen Sky content and also to protect consumers from the real risks of accessing content in this way.”