TV Licensing Continues Harassment of Proven Innocent Opponent

I would like to thank the TV Licensing Blog for giving me a platform to inform people of the continual harassment I suffer at the hands of the BBC since taking perfectly legal steps to avoid paying their extortionate and unfair TV licence fee.

In 2006 I discovered that a growing number of people were ditching, or more commonly disabling, their TV receivers in an effort to stop receiving "live" TV broadcasts. As the law stood at the time, anyone who did this did not legally require a TV licence and would not have to subsidise the sordid operation of the BBC.

I wrote to the BBC informing them that my "system" was now "disabled" and that I was no longer under any legal obligation to purchase a TV licence. I can safely say, they were not happy with this news at all.

Almost immediately the nation’s beloved national broadcaster set in motion a regime of harassment and intimidation that still continues to this day. Regular readers of the TV Licensing Blog will be aware of the history of this regime against me.

After many years monthly threatograms and regular doorstep harassment, I found myself in court facing criminal charges. This was the result of a visit by BBC TV Licensing "Enforcement Officer", Mr Ian Doyle. At the time Doyle was a senior Area Manager in the mythical "London and Essex Enforcement Division". You can read about Doyle's more recent exploits here.

This was an unscheduled visit, with Doyle arriving totally unexpected on my doorstep. He requested access to my property with the intention of examining any equipment that might be able to receive a "live" TV broadcast. I had no legal obligation to allow him entry, but did so in the mistaken belief that BBC TV Licensing would finally accept that my address was not receiving "live" TV broadcasts.

After a thorough examination of my equipment, including my personal computer, Doyle could not find evidence of the reception ANY "live" TV broadcasts of ANY kind. Even so, BBC TV Licensing managed to cobble together enough dubious evidence to have me charged with TV licence evasion.

Not wishing to go over old ground, but case against me was eventually thrown out by a Crown Court Appeal. The Judge ruled that video evidence presented by Capita Business Services, prosecuting on behalf of BBC TV Licensing, was wholly unreliable and inconsistent with the testimony of its own lead witness, Ian Doyle.

After winning this case I was expecting an end to BBC TV Licensing's campaign of harassment against me. Sadly, despite having been cleared of any wrongdoing, the threats and intimidation have continued virtually unabated.

On 9th October 2017 at approximately 7.45pm my dog alerted me to the fact that two BBC TV Licensing goons, again employed by Capita, had encroached on my property. I don’t usually open the door to them, but on this occasion, in exasperation, I decided to film the doorstepping duo. In events extremely similar to Doyle's earlier inspection visit I preceded to video the encounter.

I was extremely tempted to allow the two Goons, who had identified themselves only as Kyle, and Graham, entry into my property in order to establish that my equipment STILL could not receive "live" TV broadcasts. I decided against allowing them entry when goon Kyle appeared to lie about his lack of knowledge about Doyle's earlier visit.

Kyle was extremely reluctant to tell me, when questioned, that he was acting on behalf of the BBC, which employs Capita to perform these TV Licensing visits.

I must admit to being extremely worried that by refusing these two goons entry I will find myself back in court on the basis of lies and highly questionable evidence.

One thing is sure, the BBC will not stop this harassment and intimidation until I purchase one of its TV licences, even though I'm under no legal obligation to do so. The BBC refuses to accept the status of any property that is legally-licence-free.

TV Licensing Blog comment: We are grateful to Michael Shakespeare for providing this article. Please see our earlier article for full details of how TV Licensing tried to criminalise an innocent man who refused to submit to its coercive tactics.

If you've found this article useful please share it with your friends and consider using our Amazon referral link for your shopping.