Caselaw Digest
Caselaw Digest

The All England Tennis Club (Championships) Limited & Anor v Broker 4 U Ltd & Anor

[2023] EWHC 3325 (KB)
Someone illegally sold Wimbledon tickets, breaking a court order. The judge decided a fine wasn't enough punishment, so they got a 13-week prison sentence, but it's suspended (they won't go to jail unless they break the rules again) because of their family responsibilities and difficult circumstances.

Key Facts

  • The Second Defendant was found in contempt of court for breaching an injunction by offering and selling non-transferable Wimbledon tickets.
  • The breach occurred on 14 and 15 July 2023, involving two tickets for Centre Court.
  • The injunction was dated 22 August 2016.
  • The Second Defendant claimed his motivation was to further a client relationship with a hotel.
  • The Second Defendant cited caring responsibilities for his parents undergoing cancer treatment as mitigation.

Legal Principles

Sentencing for breaches of civil injunctions aims to ensure future compliance, punishment, and rehabilitation.

Lovett v Wigan Borough Council [2022] EWCA Civ 1631 at paragraph 39

Available penalties for contempt of court include imprisonment (up to two years) or an unlimited fine; a sentence of imprisonment may be suspended.

section 14, Contempt of Court Act 1981; AG v Crosland [2021] UKSC 15 at paragraphs 43 and 44

Sentencing approach should be analogous to criminal cases, considering culpability and harm caused; a fine should be considered first; if insufficient, the shortest appropriate custodial sentence is imposed; mitigation factors are considered.

Liverpool Victoria Insurance Co Ltd v Khan [2019] EWCA Civ 392; [2019] 1 WLR 3833, paras 57 to 71

Outcomes

The Second Defendant was sentenced to 13 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 2 years.

The court deemed a fine insufficient due to the seriousness of the contempt and the need to deter future breaches. Mitigation factors, including caring responsibilities and precarious financial situation, were considered but did not outweigh the need for a custodial sentence.

Similar Cases

Caselaw Digest Caselaw Digest

UK Case Law Digest provides comprehensive summaries of the latest judgments from the United Kingdom's courts. Our mission is to make case law more accessible and understandable for legal professionals and the public.

Stay Updated

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest case law updates and legal insights.

© 2025 UK Case Law Digest. All rights reserved.

Information provided without warranty. Not intended as legal advice.