Jail Time For IPTV Boss Who Made £40K From Sky Streams

This post may contain affiliate links*

A Birmingham man who ran an illegal streaming operation from his home has been jailed for nearly three years, after investigators discovered he had distributed enough pirated TV content to run non-stop for over nine years.

Gary McNally, 55, from Acocks Green, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for operating “Each Online” – a sophisticated IPTV service that operated between 2017 and 2020.

The service offered unauthorized access to premium Sky content including entertainment channels, sports programming and movies, alongside content from other major broadcasters.

The case caught investigators’ attention not just for its scale, but for its technical complexity.

Sky logo on a TV

McNally wasn’t running a typical streaming operation – he had set up an intricate system powered by expensive business-grade broadband and specialized equipment that could quickly recover from attempts to shut it down.

A £420 Monthly Broadband Bill and 2,000 Subscribers

Running on expensive office-grade broadband that cost him £420 per month, McNally’s service was engineered with impressive resilience – capable of bouncing back within 48 hours if broadcasters managed to disable it.

During just one world championship boxing match in February 2018, McNally’s service boasted over 2,000 subscribers.

Over the course of its operation, Sky analysts calculated that he had illegally distributed more than 80,000 hours of television content – equivalent to over nine years of continuous viewing.

Streaming watching movies films on tablet
Photo: Deposit Photos

McNally admitted to making around £40,000 in profit from the scheme, though he claimed the majority of the proceeds went to another individual whom he refused to name.

He further alleged this unnamed third party had pressured him into the operation and ultimately “left him in the lurch”.

From Sky’s NOWAccounts to Illegal Empire

McNally’s downfall began in June 2020 when he caught Sky’s attention through his unusual use of legitimate NOW (formerly known as NOW TV) accounts.

Instead of simply redistributing existing streams, McNally went a step further – actively harvesting content himself, demonstrating the unique nature of his operation.

Following Sky’s tip-off, West Midlands Police executed search warrants at two Birmingham properties in September 2021.

The raids led to McNally’s arrest and the seizure of substantial digital equipment, including laptops, hard drives, and NOW TV devices that powered his pirate IPTV service.

NOW TV Box and Remote - Front

Matt Hibbert, Sky’s Group Director of Anti-Piracy, emphasised the severity of such operations:

“Today’s sentencing highlights the significant consequences that can arise for those that get involved in illegally streaming content. We are grateful to the West Midlands Police for acting so robustly to take down a highly sophisticated illegal streaming operation.”

West Midlands Police added their own warning: “We will work with partners wherever possible to disrupt criminal activity, and we hope this case sends a warning message to anyone involved in this kind of criminal enterprise.”

Two other individuals were arrested alongside McNally – one has since been released with no further action, while another remains under investigation.

The Broader Crackdown on Illegal Streaming

This case is the latest in a series of high-profile convictions targeting illegal IPTV operations across the UK.

Just last month, authorities launched a nationwide operation that saw police and fraud investigators visiting 30 suspected sellers of modified Firesticks and illegal IPTV services, including one arrest in Newport.

Firestick hacker IPTV arrest

In November 2024, Liverpool resident Jonathan Edge, 29, received a three-year and four-month prison sentence for running a Firestick modification operation. Notably, Edge received a separate concurrent sentence specifically for watching illegal streams himself.

October 2023 saw Shrewsbury’s Steven Mills sentenced to two and a half years in prison for a massive operation that generated £1 million over five years, serving illegal streams to more than 30,000 subscribers.

Understanding IPTV and Avoiding Illegal Services

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is simply the technology that delivers television content over the internet – the same technology used by legitimate services like Netflix, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer.

However, illegal operators have given IPTV a bad name by using this technology to provide unauthorised access to premium content at suspiciously low prices.

IPTV on a laptop

These services often rely on modified streaming devices or “jailbroken” equipment to bypass normal licensing and subscription requirements.

To avoid falling for illegal services, watch out for these warning signs:

  • Prices that seem too good to be true (like getting Sky Sports, Netflix, and Disney+ all for £10 a month)
  • Streaming devices advertised as “fully loaded” or “jailbroken”
  • Services promising free access to premium content or pay-per-view events
  • Sellers requiring payment through unconventional methods
  • Services advertised primarily through social media or marketplace listings

Beyond the legal risks, these services can often expose users to malware, unreliable connections, and poor quality streams. They can disappear overnight, taking subscribers’ money with them. Some are even fronts for financial scams.

For more news and updates about TV and streaming in the UK, Subscribe to our free newsletter.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

man watchin streaming tv on tablet

Get Cord Buster's Free UK TV Streaming Cheatsheet

FREE

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get TV And Tech News

Get Bonus Streaming TV Guide