Judge rejects BBC licence fee challenge

net1

Campaigners against the BBC licence fee were dealt a blow today when a high court judge threw out the latest challenge to the legality of the £116 annual charge.
Jean-Jacques Marmont, a Canadian living in Oxfordshire, filed a civil case against the BBC claiming the mandatory charge breached his human rights, amounted to harassment and infringed his private and family life.

His case was one of a series of legal actions launched against the BBC under the European Convention on Human Rights.

At a preliminary hearing held today, the judge threw out the challenge after refusing Mr Marmont's request for an adjournment while he found a barrister to argue his case.

Mr Marmont, who was prosecuted for licence fee evasion in 1992, claimed the licence fee interfered with his right under article eight of the convention to receive information in the privacy of his home.

He said he made documentaries for public service television and supported the case for public funding of the BBC but believed the licence fee to be unjust.

"We are pleased with the result, which confirms TV Licensing legislation is consistent with human rights legislation," said a spokesman for the BBC.

"On behalf of the honest majority who are correctly licensed, it was our duty to defend this challenge to the legalities of the licence fee.

"We are glad this case is now concluded and no more licence-fee-payers' money is being wasted by someone who hasn't paid their."

The case joins a separate legal action being fought by the Sunday Times columnist Jonathan Miller, who is facing preliminary court proceedings for non-payment of his licence fee.

The BBC is facing more opposition than ever to the fee and is stepping up its campaign to put the case in favour of the charge in the run-up to charter renewal.

Mr Marmont could not be reached for comment on today's decision.

Channel Hopper

Not at all surprising that Mr Miller has worked for the rival broadcaster to the BBC and claims to have helped launch Sky television in the UK back in 1989

http://www.tvlicensing.biz/jms_application.htm

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