NEW doubt has been cast over the rights of pubs to screen live Premiership games on a Saturday afternoon.

A judge in Portsmouth last week upheld a conviction for infringing copyright laws against a publican.

But that flew in the face of a ruling made by judge Robert Warnock at Bolton Crown Court last year which upheld an appeal by a licensee who had been convicted of breaching copyright by showing TV games during European soccer chiefs' "closed period" - between 2.45pm and 5.15pm.

Judge Warnock ruled that the landlord could not be guilty because the satellite pictures were broadcast via a Greek company and the closed period ban only applied to transmissions originating in Britain.

The judge in Portsmouth said he "strongly disagreed" with Judge Warnock's decision.

Bolton solicitor Joe Egan, who represented Ian Moss, of The Saddle, Farnworth, and Eileen Flint, of the Original Bay Horse in Horwich, when they were cleared of similar copyright breaches by Bolton magistrates, said the Portsmouth decision could affect future screenings.

Mr Egan said: "This ruling will have implications for publicans in our part of the world. How can any magistrates' court decide one way or another.

"The law needs changing."

BSkyB subscriptions can cost licensees between £300 and £2,000 per month, while some foreign services are available for £500 per year.

However, Mr Egan, who is based in Wood Street, Bolton, said the threat of legal action from MPS - an agency which represents the Premier League - was deterring many landlords.

"During those cases, I was handed a schedule of costs. Had MPS won, they would have been asking for £4,500 costs and, faced with that, a lot of publicans have taken the easy way out and pleaded guilty."

Mr Egan said he did not believe the law was clear and that a higher court ruling was required.