Homes that may have been enjoying Sky without paying for a subscription may face a streaming block after one provider is sentenced to three years in jail.
Illegal streaming has become rampant in recent years, and it’s hardly surprising. With the cost-of-living crisis still hurting wallets, millions of UK homes have been looking for cheaper ways to watch premium content, and that often means switching over to unofficial platforms that offer full access for a fraction of the proper price.
It may sound enticing, but illegal streaming remains firmly in the spotlight, and one popular service that offered content – including Sky channels – has just been shut down for good, leaving those who have paid for it now out of pocket.
As well as being closed, the person running the online service has also been handed a hefty jail sentence by UK authorities.
Nishan Silva, 34, from Hitchin, has been placed behind bars for three years after being linked to the management and facilitation of an illicit IPTV service. This platform had thousands of followers and operated under the names Andy UTV and Ultimate TV Service.
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Silva appeared at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday, 2 October, having pleaded guilty to offences including distributing an article infringing copyright and acquiring or using criminal property.
Silva, who previously worked as an accountant, was involved in running the illegal subscription-based platform.
This provided UK homes with illegal access to a number of streaming services and is thought to have raked in hundreds of thousands of pounds.
“Silva was a highly intelligent accountant who abused both his expertise and trusted position to commit serious criminality, ” Detective Constable Daryl Fryatt in the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit said
“This activity should serve as a reminder that PIPCU will pursue criminals who seek to profit from illegal streaming and disrupt their operations.
“This is a crime that diverts funds away from the entertainment industries – money that supports thousands of technical and support staff. At the same time, it exposes end users to the risks of data theft, fraud and malware.
“We will continue to work with partners including Sky to ensure that this activity is disrupted and those involved are held to account.”
And Matt Hibbert, Group Director of Anti-Piracy at Sky added, “We’re grateful to the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit for pursuing this case. It demonstrates the seriousness with which the courts treat these crimes. We remain committed to supporting efforts to shut down the theft of our content, and to protect consumers from the risks involved in illegal streaming.”
Don’t forget. As well as streams being shut down, illegal streaming has other risks, including being exposed to malware and inappropriate content.