Clive McMurray of the British town of Hull (located about 45 miles southwest of York) was convicted and sentenced on November 22 for causing deliberate interference to Amateur Radio users and unlawfully using radio equipment without a license. According to the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) -- that country’s IARU Member-Society -- McMurray caused interference to operators in the Hull region of Humberside between June-November 2009.

Ofcom -- the British equivalent of the FCC -- charged that McMurray kept his radio equipment in his van and would drive all over the region and park outside homes, jamming signals -- and even broadcasting his own material -- in an effort to interfere with those amateurs who were operating legally. He was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment (suspended for 18 months) and a 12 hour curfew, as well as forfeiture of his van and radio transmitters to Ofcom.

RSGB General Manager Peter Kirby, G0TWW, said that RSGB volunteers “cooperated closely with Ofcom in gathering evidence for this case. This conviction shows that deliberate interference will not be tolerated and can have serious consequences for the perpetrator.”

Ofcom Head of Enforcement Paul Mercer concurred: “There are around 900 Amateur Radio users in and around the Hull area who have been deliberately disrupted for more than four years. Ofcom is very pleased with this result, which will hopefully give these users some welcome relief, as well as sending a very strong signal to those that abuse the airwaves.”  -- Thanks to the RSGB and The Hull Daily Mail for the information