A MAN ran his own satellite television subscription service allowing “customers” to access Sky programmes, a court was told.

Alexander Woodmass was said to have 56 clients, including pubs and clubs in the area, who paid him for their Sky coverage rather than the satellite broadcaster.

Durham Crown Court heard that it was estimated to have potentially deprived Sky of £112,000 in “lost” subscriptions over the two-and-a-half year period of his activities.

Making his first appearance in the case, at Durham Crown Court, the 48-year-old self-employed builder admitted six counts of fraud, covering a period from April 2011 and December 2013.

Three charges relate to possession of articles for use in fraud, a micro-server and pc tower both containing card-sharing software, and card-sharing data.

Two counts relate to supplying articles for use in fraud, satellite receiving boxes and card-sharing data capable of receipt of Sky tv without paying subscription.

The sixth charge is one of obtaining services by deception, namely subscription owner tv broadcast content when no payment was made, gaining access via a card-sharing server.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said: “All the counts involve him running a business providing customers access to Sky tv without paying the subscription to Sky.

“He was buying digital boxes, he said in his police interview, from China, which were capable of receiving Sky, and supplying pubs and clubs in the area.

“Used by 56 notional customers, over a two-and-a-half year period, at average rates for annual subscription of £800, the value placed in lost subscriptions would amount to £112,000.

“I know the defence don’t accept that valuation, and there’s no evidence £800 was paid by 56 over two-and-a-half years.

“But, it’s a case of him running a business allowing access to Sky tv, with customers paying him a fee rather than paying Sky.

“There’s evidence of a large number of emails suggesting different amounts were charged to different people, but what the defendant’s profits were still needs to be established.”

Mr Dryden added, however, that “the operation” has since been “terminated”.

Evidence from two experts in the field will be served on the court ahead of next month’s sentencing hearing.

Judge Christopher Prince agreed to adjourn sentence to allow for the preparation of a background probation report on Woodmass.

He told the defendant: “All sentencing options will be available to the court.”

Forty-eight-year-old Woodmass, of Burnside, Witton Gilbert, near Durham, was bailed to return for sentence on March 27.