Kirklees Magistrates Court
Crosland Moor man allowed a pirate radio station to be broadcast from his flat
Passion Radio was transmitted over seven miles from the Crosland Moor property
Emma Davison
Conrad Hines at Kirklees Magistrates' Court
A pirate radio station has been shut down after Ofcom officials discovered it being operated from a Crosland Moor flat.
The online radio station, called Passion Radio and specialising in reggae music, transmitted over a seven mile radius.
Kirklees magistrates heard that illegal broadcasters cannot be properly regulated and pose unfair competition to legitimate radio stations.
Passion Radio, run from a flat above a takeaway on Blackmoorfoot Road, was closed down after magistrates made an order for the equipment to be destroyed.
And in the rare case, Conrad Hines was prosecuted for allowing the illegal station to broadcast from his home.
Men behind Huddersfield's Phatt FM pirate radio station in court
Ofcom officers and police raided the 41-year-old's flat June 10 after tracing illegal broadcasting back to the property.
Simon Gwynne, prosecuting on behalf of Ofcom, told Kirklees Magistrates' Court: "It was established that this had a broadcasting area of seven miles.
"A broadcast transmitter was found with other associated equipment and this was seized by the officers.
"The transmitter was broadcasting on the frequency 89.9 megahertz and at a power level 20 times higher than would be permitted by a licenced station."
In interview Hines denied involvement with Passion Radio and said that a man named TJ had attended at his flat looking for the previous tenant.
Location of flat A 362 Blackmoorfoot Road, Crosland Moor.
He told officers that he later returned and asked of he could transmit a short-distance Citizens Band radio in the flat which he agreed to.
He pleaded guilty to permitting his premises to be used for unlawful broadcasting between March and June last year.
Mr Gwynne added: "Unlawful radio stations cause some difficulty.
"They cause interference to legitimate sources of radio and unfair competition with fee paying broadcasters, depriving them of audiences and advertisers.
"There are also no regulations for compliance with things like employment law and staff minimum wages."
Mr Gwynne added that legal broadcasters were required to pay a £2,360 licence fee plus loyalties to music providers.
Sonia Kidd, mitigating, said there was no suggestion her client was involved in the running of the radio station.
She said: "it's accepted that Passion Radio was not run as it would have been had it been legal and there was no organisation at all.
"He accepts that he had knowledge that a radio station was being broadcast but he only allowed his premises to be used.
"This man has approached the previous tenant, asked to move the equipment back and Mr Hines didn't see the difficulty with that. It's not the crime of the century."
Magistrates heard that offences involving pirate radio stations are uncommon and there are no specific sentencing guidelines.
Magistrates ordered destruction of the equipment and gave Hines a 12-month conditional discharge.
He has to pay £250 of the total £5,983 prosecution and investigation costs sought plus £20 victim surcharge.
Crosland Moor