A DAD-of-two who sold ‘dodgy’ Firesticks that streamed Premier League matches has been jailed for over three years.

Jonathan Edge, 29, from Liverpool, was remanded in custody at the end of last month and sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to three offences under the Fraud Act.

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He has been jailed for three years and four months, as confirmed by the Premier League.

This includes a separate sentence for accessing and viewing the content he supplied. 

The prosecution was undertaken by the Premier League and was supported by a number of organisations, including FACT and Merseyside Police.

Relying on advertising through Facebook posts and word-of-mouth recommendations, Edge ran a service uploading illegal services on to Firestick devices in return for cash-in-hand payments at his home. 

Edge was warned on several occasions to stop, but continued to upload the illegal material. 

His own use of the unauthorised service was treated as a distinct crime in itself. 

Julian Nutter, defending, argued Edge was somewhat acting as a “Robin Hood” figure by giving people who would struggle to afford a Sky subscription access to the games.   

But the judge stressed how legitimate subscribers are victims of these fraudulent operations and therefore their impact goes beyond that experienced by the broadcast industry. 

Kevin Plumb, Premier League General Counsel, said: “The significant sentence handed down to the individual involved once again serves to highlight the severity of his actions and we thank Merseyside Police for their support throughout the case. 

“We will continue to pursue legal action against those supplying unauthorised access to Premier League football, regardless of the scale or mode of operation. Ignoring warnings to stop only served to make the consequences worse for the individual.   

“The selling of broadcast rights supports the Premier League’s industry-leading financial contribution to the whole football pyramid and we’re pleased that the courts have once again recognised the importance of safeguarding these rights with the outcome of this case.

“No matter the scale, we will continue to protect these rights by carrying out investigations and prosecuting illegal operators at every level.”  

Detective Sergeant Steve Frame from Merseyside Police said: “Merseyside Police is committed to working in collaboration to investigate intellectual property theft and we welcome today’s sentence handed to Edge. 

“Many people see no harm in illegally streaming TV services but they are wrong, and this outcome should serve as a further warning how seriously such copyright theft continues to be taken.” 

And Keiron Sharp, CEO of FACT, added: “FACT are committed to investigating and acting against IP crime.

“Offenders should be aware that regardless of their level of operation or advertising methods, including word-of-mouth or platforms like Facebook, creating an illegal business for the purposes of selling stolen content to others will be investigated by the police, resulting in sentences such as the one given today. ”

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World champions South Africa are aiming to have “the two best teams in the world”, says centre Andre Esterhuizen.

Head coach Rassie Erasmus opted to rotate some key starting positions in the Springboks’ victory over Scotland on Sunday, benching captain Siya Kolisi and flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit, which has been a common theme under his management of the team since taking charge in 2017.

Their opening Autumn Nations Series victory also put them back on top of the world rankings after Ireland’s defeat by New Zealand on Friday.

“One of the good things is that everyone is getting game time now,” Esterhuizen, who played instead of regular centre Damian de Allende on Sunday, told the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

“It it also about looking forward, you’ve got to be able to spare all the guys for the next World Cup and build experience into it.

“The aim is to have the two best teams in the world, all in one squad.

“We want to make it second nature for people slotting in, so if someone steps in, they can just slot in and play the same if not better than the other player.”

South Africa won this year’s Rugby Championship for the first time since 2019, losing one match away to Argentina when Erasmus left the majority of his starting XV at home.

Erasmus previously said he would “rather win the World Cup than sit at an 85% win rate”, external after criticism of his side’s record between successful World Cups.

“It is very much a team first environment,” South Africa defence coach Jerry Flannery told BBC Sport.

“The players coach each other, the ‘team first’ mentality is stronger here than I have come across.

“Players have come in this year and couldn’t believe it was all about making sure the team wins.”

Englishman Brown becomes the third player to leave St Mirren in a matter of weeks following a court appearance.

Kevin van Veen’s loan spell was ended last week after the Dutch striker appeared in court charged with domestic abuse.

Last month, defender Shaun Rooney left St Mirren by mutual consent after being charged with assault following an incident in a Glasgow takeaway.

St Mirren have moved quickly to replace Brown by handing 29-year-old John, who has been capped seven times by Wales, a contract until January.

John had a previous spell in the Scottish Premiership with Rangers, having originally arrived on loan from Cardiff City before signing permanently in 2018.

He made 30 appearances over the course of a year before moving on to Swansea City then Bolton Wanderers.

John was released in June following a loan spell with Salford City and told St Mirren’s website it had been “a crazy few days” after only training with the squad for the first time on Friday.

Manager Stephen Robinson said the Welshman’s deal could be extended “depending on how it goes”.

“The circumstances we find ourselves in means we’re very short of defence cover,” he admitted. “Declan comes in with a vast amount of experience.

“He’s played at some very high levels and obviously been up in Scotland before as well, so we’re very lucky that we’ve been able to get him in.”

The first-round draws for the sixth Tata Steel Chess India Rapid & Blitz tournament were announced in Kolkata on Tuesday. All eyes will be on Magnus Carlsen, the former world champion, who will be facing 19-year-old Indian grandmaster R. Pragganandhaa in both the Rapid and Blitz formats.

This year’s tournament, with a prize fund of USD 41,500, will be held at the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata’s Alipore between November 13 and 17. Like previous editions, the tournament will have two categories, Open and Women, in two formats, Rapid and Blitz.

After a stellar performance at the 2024 Chess Olympiad 2024 Budapest in Hungary, the Indian chess contingent is all set to compete in the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid & Blitz tournament.

In the Open category, alongside Praggnanandhaa, India’s S.L. Narayanan will go up against Germany’s Vincent Keymer, while Vidit Gujrathi will face the USA’s Wesley So. Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin are scheduled to play each other in an exciting matchup.

In the Women’s category, India’s Harika Dronavalli will take on England’s Nana Dzagnidze, while Vantika Agrawal plays Russia’s Valentina Gunina. Koneru Humpy will face Russia’s Kateryna Lagno.

A three-year-old chess prodigy from Kolkata named Anish Sarkar was involved in the draw. He picked up the names of Carlsen and Pragganandhaa and pitted them against each other. The wonder kid got praise from the involved chess stars.

During draw of Men and Women participants of 6th Tata steel chess tournament in Kolkata | Salil Bera

Meanwhile, Carlsen, five times world champion, is making a comeback to the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid & Blitz after winning the edition in 2019.

In the Open category, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave claimed victory in the Rapid section, while Alexander Grischuk won the Blitz. In the Women’s category, Divya Deshmukh emerged as the Rapid winner, with Ju Wenjun taking the title in the Blitz format.

Vishwanathan Anand will continue his association with the competition as its ambassador. He said, “This year brings the best of the world headed by Magnus Carlsen. I am particularly excited that the women’s event will have the best of Indian Chess. This year has been a celebration of Indian chess and this event will be a fitting tribute.”

THE man who filmed David Coote’s anti-Liverpool rant has been named and reportedly suspended from his job.

Footage emerged on Monday of Premier League referee Coote making derogatory comments about Jurgen Klopp and his former side.

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Coote, 42, has been suspended by the PGMOL pending an investigation.

Now the person responsible for filming the video, named as Ben Kitt, has also been suspended from his job, report The Telegraph.

The former Nottinghamshire cricketer is being investigated by his employers, executive recruitment firm Forsyth Barnes, whose clients include Manchester United and Real Madrid.

Kitt is heard saying in the clip: “Long story short: Jurgen Klopp’s a c***, Liverpool are all f***ing b***ends and we hate Scousers.”

Forsyth Barnes co-founder Roheel Ahmad said in a statement to the Telegraph: “Forsyth Barnes understands that the leaked video of David Coote includes one of its employees, Ben Kitt.

“This is something that we are taking very seriously and we have suspended Ben on full pay while we investigate further.

“Although we are still in the process of gathering all the facts, we do know for certain that the video was taken some years before Ben became an employee of Forsyth Barnes.

“In his time with the business, Ben has demonstrated a strong [work] ethic and dedication to his career. He has matured considerably and grown into a responsible young man.

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Shocking David Coote video in full

First video

First man: “What did you think of the Liverpool game earlier when you were fourth official?”

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Second man (allegedly Coote): “Erm Liverpool were s***.”

First man: “What did you think of Jurgen Klopp?”

Second man (allegedly Coote): “C***, absolute c***.”

First man: “Why would you say that Jurgen Klopp is a c***?”

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Second man (allegedly Coote): “Erm, aside from having a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown.

“Then, he accused me of lying and then just had a right f***ing pop at me – and I’ve got no interest in speaking to somebody whose f***ing arrogant.

“So I do my best not to speak to him. [James] Milner is alright, I get on with Milner.”

First man: “James Milner, he gets on with James Milner.”

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Second man (allegedly Coote): “You can see me there with mask on.”

First man: “Mask on, obviously.”

Second man (allegedly Coote): “Yea Covid, got to be done. Social distancing right? We’re two meters apart.”

First man: “We have to social distance.”

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Second man (allegedly Coote): “Yep, so but [exhales] my God. German c***, f*** me.”

First man: “Long story short, Jurgen Klopp’s a c***, Liverpool are all f***ing b******s, we hate Scousers.”

Second video

Second man (allegedly Coote): “Right just to be clear, that f***ing last video cant go anywhere, seriously.”

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First man: He’s a Premier League referee, let’s not f***ing ruin his career.

“Like let’s face we’re good blokes but we can’t ruin a bloke’s career. We’re not that bad. Also he’s a f***ing legend.”

Second man (allegedly Coote): “So, yeah.”

First man: “So lets not ruin his career.”

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“To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, Forsyth Barnes will not be making any further comments.”

A spokesman for the firm said Kitt did not wish to comment on the video, while Coote is also yet to respond.

In the clip, Coote can be seen branding the Merseyside club “s**t” and calling Klopp a “c***” while in conversation with Kitt.

Referencing a match between Liverpool and Burnley in 2020, Coote added: “Aside from having a right pop at me when I was refereeing them against Burnley in lockdown, he (Klopp) accused me of lying and then had a right f***ing pop of me.

“I have no interest in speaking to someone who is f***ing arrogant.”

He later said in a separate video: “Just to be clear, that f***ing last video cannot go anywhere, seriously.”

Coote has since admitted the video is of him but “cannot recall” making it.

The ref has been excluded from Uefa’s match list for the upcoming Nations League fixtures this week.

The majority of sensible observers, though sometimes not those fans who choose to view decisions through the prism of their own partisanship, accept referees will make mistakes under the severest pressure. That pressure is very often from players and managers in the fierce hothouse of elite-level football, trickling right down to the grassroots.

Coote’s alleged insults about Liverpool and Klopp – who even his biggest admirers would admit was confrontational from his technical area – allow sceptics to challenge that principle of integrity.

It plays straight into the hands of those supporters only too willing to cry “corruption” or feel referees “have it in” for their particular club.

Coote’s previous decisions when in charge of Liverpool games are already being scrutinised. He was on video assistant referee duty for the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in October 2020 when Virgil van Dijk sustained a season-ending knee injury after a reckless challenge in the area by Everton keeper Jordan Pickford, with no penalty being awarded. Jordan Henderson had an stoppage-time winner ruled out for offside.

He was performing the same role in December 2023 when a clear handball from Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard – later acknowledged as a mistake by Webb – escaped punishment in a 1-1 draw at Anfield.

Mistakes, yes – but honest ones, only for the emergence of the Coote video to reopen a very large can of worms, presenting a crisis for Webb and PGMOL.

Referees are already under pressure and an unforgiving microscope. This latest development will only bring the entire debate into sharper relief.

Football Association data released late last year revealed serious offences against match officials in grassroots football increased in 2022-23.

There were 1,451 allegations, up by 1%, with 72 about an actual or attempted assault, 391 about actual or attempted physical contact and 988 relating to threatening a match official. There were 42 proven cases of assault or attempted assault.

The most high-profile challenge to the integrity of an official came from Nottingham Forest after a controversial 2-0 loss at Everton in April, when they felt three penalty decisions went against them.

Minutes after the final whistle, Forest’s social media account pointed an accusing finger at VAR Stuart Attwell, who they claimed was a fan of Luton Town, who were also in relegation trouble at the time.

The club posted: “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept. We warned PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times. NFFC will now consider its options.”

Forest were fined £750,000 by the FA in October for what was described as an “attack on the integrity of a match official on an unparalleled scale”.

Attwell gave a statement to the panel about the “stress, distress, fear and embarrassment caused to him” as a result of the post, while Webb said it “has the potential of serving as a green light to those who seek to abuse officials and normalises questioning the integrity of all referees”.

The Coote video, if genuine, may have just done the same disservice to every official in the land.