A 40-year-old man, Sunny Kanda, has been sentenced to two years in prison for selling Firestick TV devices that provided illegal access to paid subscription channels like Sky and TNT.

Kanda, from Creek View, Wheatley, Halifax, violated copyright laws by distributing these devices, commonly referred to as “dodgy sticks.”

Over an 18-month period between 2020 and 2022, Kanda’s activities deprived legitimate providers of more than £108,000 in revenue. Customers using the devices were able to watch content from platforms like Sky, BT Sport, Disney+, and Netflix without paying for subscriptions, a court heard.

Kanda marketed and sold the illegal devices through a private Facebook group that attracted nearly 4,000 members. The operation was uncovered by York-based trading standards officers with support from National Trading Standards and the intellectual property organization FACT.

An undercover investigator joined the Facebook group and purchased one of the modified devices, discovering it provided unauthorized access to premium films, TV shows, and live sports via applications such as The Vodfather XC and Plex.

On January 3, 2025, York Crown Court sentenced Kanda following his guilty plea in August to charges of fraud, copyright infringement, and concealing bank transfers linked to criminal proceeds. Authorities will hold a further hearing on May 7 to determine whether the money he made from these activities can be reclaimed.

A spokesperson for National Trading Standards said: “Accessing pirated content through illegal TV Firesticks undermines the UK’s entertainment industry, putting its talented workforce and supply chains at risk by depriving them of fair earnings and revenue. It also puts consumers at risk by exposing them to illegal software that can put their data and bank details in jeopardy.

“Today’s sentence is an important reminder to all those who buy and sell TV Firesticks that crime does not pay – it breaches copyright law and we encourage people to report suspected cases to the Citizens Advice consumer service.”