A HYDE man who fled to Northern Cyprus to avoid a jail sentence has been ordered to pay more than £250,000 after selling boxes giving illegal access to pay TV channels.
Michael Hornung, formerly of Rowanswood Drive in Godley, was given a four-and-a-half year term after selling about 2,700 devices.
His operation, between January 2014 and January 2017, is estimated to have made around £350,000, with an estimated loss of around £2 million to media companies like Sky, BT Sport and Virgin.
Now under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the 38-year-old has been told by a judge at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court he must pay £258,642.95.Hornung was sentenced in his absence in June for selling unauthorised decoders, selling articles for use in fraud and advertising unauthorised decoders for sale.
However, he has fled to Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus, a territory with which the UK has no extradition treaty.
Prosecuting for the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), Ari Alibhai told the court in June Hornung supplied equipment that allowed customers to access ‘premium’ subscription TV, including pay-per-view events such as boxing, without paying for it.
He ran an account called ‘NoHatsNoTrainers’ which advertised the devices for sale on a website called CS-world.
Mr Alibhai said: “This was a sophisticated and remunerative business supplying customers the means to access TV without paying the broadcasters or others with intellectual property rights to that content.”
Now Hornung has been told to apay up, FACT Chief Executive Kieron Sharp said: “This confiscation order makes clear the consequences of providing illegal streaming services, a serious criminal offence which in this case has led to a substantial prison sentence and now severe financial penalties.
“We are pleased the court have recognised the seriousness of piracy-related crime and we thank Greater Manchester Police for their support and assistance during the course of a complex investigation.
“The money recovered will go back to public bodies, including law enforcement agencies, which assists them in their efforts to bring criminals to justice.”
FACT investigated the activities of an online supplier of television set-top boxes and identified Hornung as the man behind it.
In June 2014, a test purchase was conducted, and it was found the device could access hundreds of channels from Virgin’s cable subscription service.
Hornung was arrested in February 2017 but later absconded from the UK. He was tried in his absence and was found guilty on all charges on May 13.
At the time, Mr Sharp said: “We thank Greater Manchester Police for their work on this, their support and assistance is vital in procuring evidence for prosecution.
“FACT will continue to monitor channels used to advertise, market, sell and distribute apps, devices, and streams and take action against suppliers and operators.
“Individuals are motivated by the financial benefits from providing illegal content, but FACT is leading the way in combating digital piracy and, in this case, have worked closely with Greater Manchester Police to hold this person accountable for his criminal activities.
“This result should provide a warning to anyone involved in supplying illegal content.”