Pub landlady 'relieved' over football TV backing

A pub landlady, convicted for showing Premier League football through a foreign decoder, has received backing from a top European judge.

Karen Murphy, of Portsmouth, said she was "relieved" at the support after she was convicted of breaching copyright laws by using a Greek service.

An Advocate General at the European Court of Justice says the conviction should be overturned.

Sky TV has exclusive rights to show top flight games in the UK.

Advocate General Julie Kokott said blocking the right to use cheaper Greek decoders to screen matches breached EU single market rules.

Ms Murphy used the Nova firm to show matches at the Red, White and Blue pub as it was less expensive than Sky.

Using the Greek service, she paid £118 a month, rather than £480 a month with the official broadcaster.

But she was prosecuted by the Football Association Premier League Limited (FAPL) which represents the broadcasting interests of the 20 English Premier League clubs.

Ms Murphy had to pay almost £8,000 in fines and costs, but took her case to the EU Court.

"It has been five-and-a-half years of hell, that's why it matters," she said.

"We are a part of the European Union, we are a democracy, we have an entitlement for choice.

"We should be able to pick where we buy certain items from, we shouldn't be dictated to about what we pay and where we buy it from."

The opinion still needs to be ratified by the courts.

The Premier League said it was studying the detail of advocate general Kokott's opinion but felt it was not compatible with existing EU case law.

It also said that if the opinion was adopted it "would damage the interests of broadcasters and viewers of Premier League football across the EU".