This man sold thousands of dodgy boxes via his Facebook page but not any more

A man ran a “GBP1m business” from a static caravan which “anyone could be a victim of”, a judge said. Jordan Longbottom made a living from selling dodgy TV boxes, which advertised access to premium TV including Sky and Virgin Media for a fraction of the price advertised by such broadcasters. But it all came crashing down when the 42-year-old was arrested after stepping off a plane at Manchester Airport[1] following a holiday in Florida.

Longbottom ran the “successful” business online, but the authorities became aware of the fraud and police arrested him following a raid, reports Manchester Evening News[2].

At Minshull Street Crown Court[5], Recorder Ciaran Rankin said “the man in the pub may think there are no real victims” . Referring to broadcasters, the judge added: “They are each one of the victims, the other victims are perhaps the man beside the man in that pub, that’s the man that pays the market rate for these services.

“The shortfall from these services may mean that they need to pay more.” Prosecutors argued the scheme brought in up to GBP1m, but Longbottom argued they had “overestimated” his takings, which he claimed were actually nearer GBP300,000. The sentencing judge ruled the exact amount would not make a difference to the punishment handed down.

Prosecuting, Ali Alibhai said Longbottom operated the fraud from August 2015 to May 2017 and sold the boxes to “thousands” of customers, priced at between GBP100 and GBP175. He advertised his products on Facebook[6], with one group on the social media site operated by him gaining 37,000 followers. Longbottom also employed two paid members of staff to help with his business.

The authorities became aware of his website and officers from Greater Manchester Police raided his home. He was not present at the time, in January 2017, but was then arrested at Manchester Airport as he returned from the US three months later. Despite his arrest in March that year, he carried on with his business, although he claimed his involvement was reduced.

The case was eventually brought to court as part of a private prosecution by the Federation Against Copyright Theft. Defending, Michael Balmer said there had been a “significant delay” in the case being brought to court, with Longbottom first being summonsed in June 2022. He appealed for Longbottom to be spared from being sent to prison, noting recent issues with prison overcrowding.

Mr Balmer added the defendant was “terrified” of being locked up. He said: “Courts are told daily, if not weekly, that immediate custody should be reserved for the most serious of cases. This isn’t such a case.”

The judge ruled it was an “exceptional” case, where he could impose a suspended prison sentence due to the delays in the case. He said it would have been likely Longbottom would have been jailed if the case had been brought in a “more timely fashion”. Prosecutors said the delay had in part been caused by other casework being conducted by a small legal team.

Longbottom, of Clifton Rise, Abergele, North Wales, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, and one offence under the Fraud Act.

He was sentenced to 22 months in prison, suspended for 24 months, and was ordered to carry out 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work.

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References

  1. ^ Manchester Airport (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
  2. ^ Manchester Evening News (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
  3. ^ Woman, 29, dead after fall from multi-storey car park (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
  4. ^ Teenage girl lured into back room of newsagents by shopworker and raped (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
  5. ^ Court (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
  6. ^ Facebook (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
  7. ^ Don’t miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)