Pub screenings get red card

Football industry bosses have said they would tackle publicans using foreign satellite systems to broadcast English Premier League action without permission after a ruling in a row over the screening of games in bars.

Premier League officials claimed victory in the latest round of a legal battle and said a ruling by a judge sitting in the High Court gave them “the right” to prevent “unauthorised use of our copyrights” in pubs and clubs.

Lawyers representing publicans said the law had been “clarified” and the Premier League and broadcasting firms had suffered “only nominal or trivial damages”.