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UK Radio - The Court Report The Wolverhampton Express & Star 03/04/00
Paul Johnson, the operator of UK Radio since the late 1970s, appeared in Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court today following a raid on the station by the Radio Authority last November. Charged on two counts of illegal broadcastings, Paul pleaded guilty and after much deliberation, was given a one year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 towards the cost of tracking down his station. The total cost of this was stated to have been £2,070.
The court heard how UK Radio had been "known to the DTI for some time" and that previous attempts to raid the station had failed because of its sporadic broadcasting schedule. Although UK had not been found to be causing any interference, either to local residents, or other legal broadcasting stations, the court was told that the "potential for interference was very great."
Paul Johnson, representing himself, told the court how UK Radio had been run on a non-profit making basis and was purely a hobby, albeit illegal. He also discussed how his ultimate ambition was to run the station with a licence and how he had unsuccessfully applied for National Lottery grants to do so in two consecutive years. Paul also brought up the issue of equipment and CDs unconnected with UK Radio that were seized during the raid. These, and everything else taken last November, totalling £1,500, are not to be returned.
Paul Johnson, the operator of UK Radio since the late 1970s, appeared in Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court today following a raid on the station by the Radio Authority last November. Charged on two counts of illegal broadcastings, Paul pleaded guilty and after much deliberation, was given a one year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 towards the cost of tracking down his station. The total cost of this was stated to have been £2,070.
The court heard how UK Radio had been "known to the DTI for some time" and that previous attempts to raid the station had failed because of its sporadic broadcasting schedule. Although UK had not been found to be causing any interference, either to local residents, or other legal broadcasting stations, the court was told that the "potential for interference was very great."
Paul Johnson, representing himself, told the court how UK Radio had been run on a non-profit making basis and was purely a hobby, albeit illegal. He also discussed how his ultimate ambition was to run the station with a licence and how he had unsuccessfully applied for National Lottery grants to do so in two consecutive years. Paul also brought up the issue of equipment and CDs unconnected with UK Radio that were seized during the raid. These, and everything else taken last November, totalling £1,500, are not to be returned.
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