I’m sure that many of you reading this will have used Kodi on your computer or laptop or television via a box and are more than aware of the fact that it’s illegal – but I’m also sure that none of you thought that you were going to get caught and end up in jail because of it though.
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That might be all set to change though following the case of 55 year old Middlesborough man Brian Thompson, who owns Cut Price Tomo’s TV up there. He was accused of advertising and selling customised Kodi boxes that were designed for the purpose of illegally streaming content, even though they didn’t come set up with the correct software for doing this – it was up to the purchaser to sort this part out themselves.
With that masterstroke, Thompson thought that he had managed to outwit the law and plead not guilty at his first hearing, saying the following:
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These boxes are available from all over the place, not just me, but it’s the downloading of software to watch channels that is apparently causing the problem.
If I am found guilty and the court rules that I am breaking the law selling these boxes, I want to know what that means for people buying and selling mobile phones or laptops because the software is available for all of them.
All I want to know is whether I am doing anything illegal. I know it’s a grey area but I want it in black and white.
I’m prepared to accept what the court decides but at the moment as far as I’m concerned I’m not breaking the law.
He’s kind of got a point, although it is a bit more obvious that a Kodi box is going to be used for illegal streaming as it’s pretty much its only purpose. And it seems like even Thompson believed this as he changed his plea to guilty at his court hearing on Monday. He’ll be sentenced in October with Judge Peter Armstrong giving the following ominous warnings:
I don’t know what the sentence will be, all options to the court will be open.
He’s talking about jail time there. Kodi needs a poster boy to stop people from abusing it, and it seems like this could be the one. Feel bad for the guy because everyone does it, but the man just needs someone to make an example of and it looks like it’s going to be him. Unlucky pal.
For more of the same, check out the law that says tv streaming could land you ten years in jail. Just streaming that is as well. Asshole.s
