A MILFORD HAVEN man who supplied illegal Premier League streams and loaded Firesticks to almost 2,000 customers has been jailed for more than three years.

Michael David Barrow, 48, of Priory Road, Milford Haven, operated the illegal IPTV service “MB Streams” over a five-year period.

He was sentenced to three years and two months at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Jun 1), after previously admitting three Fraud Act offences.

The court heard that Barrow sold access to Premier League matches and other subscription content through his own-branded service, third-party apps and adapted Amazon Fire TV sticks.

The Premier League said he generated more than £200,000 through the operation. Earlier proceedings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard that the potential loss to broadcasters, including Amazon Prime, BT Sport and Sky, was estimated at around £6m.

Large customer base

At the magistrates’ court stage, prosecutor Ari Alibhai KC, appearing on behalf of the FA Premier League, said the offending took place between October 2019 and February 2024.

He said Barrow’s customer base was not limited to Pembrokeshire but extended across the UK.

The court was told he had around 1,800 users and was paid in cash as well as through PayPal.

Barrow initially promoted the service through Facebook posts. But after receiving a cease-and-desist notice at his home address in 2021, he changed the way he operated in an attempt to avoid detection.

He moved to a referral-only model, restricted sales to people he knew, and encouraged customers to visit his home to pay in cash.

Where online payments were made, customers were instructed to disguise transactions as purchases of retro football kits.

Warning ignored

The judge at Swansea Crown Court described the operation as a large-scale, highly sophisticated and prolonged commercial fraud.

The court said Barrow’s failure to comply with the cease-and-desist notice was a significant aggravating factor.

At the earlier magistrates’ court hearing, District Judge Mark Layton declined jurisdiction because of the seriousness of the offences and sent the case to Swansea Crown Court for sentence.

‘Severe consequences’

The prosecution was brought by the Premier League and supported by FACT and Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit’s Economic Crime Team in southern Wales.

Premier League Director of Legal – Enforcement, Stefan Sergot said: “This sentence once again highlights the severe consequences for individuals involved in supplying illegal streaming services.

“The decision to ignore clear warnings only compounded the seriousness of the offending, and this is reflected in the sentence handed down today.

“Illegal streaming is often linked to wider criminal activity and can expose fans to serious risks, including fraud, malware and identity theft.”

Kieron Sharp, Chairman of FACT, said Barrow had been given a clear warning to stop but chose to continue.

He said: “Illegal streaming is not a victimless crime. It damages the creative industries, undermines legitimate broadcasters, sports rights holders and service providers, and exposes users to serious risks, including fraud, malware and criminal exploitation.”

Emma Brown, Regional Fraud Development Officer for Tarian, said: “It is disappointing that Michael continued to offend despite being issued with a cease and desist notice in 2021.

“He was clearly warned that his activities were illegal and that continuing with them could lead to serious consequences.”

The Premier League said it would continue working with FACT and law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute illegal operators.

A CALL for a hydroelectric scheme to help power Pembrokeshire’s County Hall is to be considered as part of a wider decarbonisation report expected later this year.

At the June meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members considered a notice of motion from Merlins Bridge councillor John Cole, who said two potential sources of clean energy were close to County Hall.

Cllr Cole said: “Two untapped power sources, that would create 100 per cent clean energy are within very close proximity of County Hall.

“Both sources would substantially compensate County Hall’s current use of power supplied via the grid. These sources are the western Cleddau and Cartlett Brook. The first running alongside, and the other under County Hall.

“My Notice of Motion is that the council look at the feasibility of the installation of hydroelectric turbines at these sources.”

He said the proposal would support the council’s net zero policy by offsetting CO2 production and reducing County Hall’s running costs.

In a supporting statement, Cllr Cole said the scheme could provide “a major green energy project” while also protecting taxpayers from reliance on energy supplied by third-party providers.

A report to Cabinet said County Hall used 167,000 kWh of electricity in the 2025-26 financial year. The site already has a 77kWp solar canopy in the car park, generating around 65,000 kWh a year, with more than 90 per cent of that power used on site. The solar canopy is estimated to save around £13,000 a year.

The report said hydropower schemes had been considered previously, with members referring to a similar call from former councillor Ken Rowlands around two decades ago.

A 2010 study by Mann Power Consulting Ltd looked at hydropower systems that could be used at the County Hall site. It concluded that a 55kW Archimedes screw system would be the most appropriate option and could generate around 198,000 kWh, based on a 43 per cent capacity factor, at an indicative 2010 cost of around £450,000.

The report also referred to the council’s 2019 climate emergency declaration, when members voted to create an action plan to move Pembrokeshire County Council towards becoming a net zero-carbon local authority by 2030.

Cabinet members were told that a review and report on decarbonisation steps, including hydropower feasibility, is expected by the end of the year.

Members agreed to note the motion and await the wider report.

The Cabinet report stated: “Once a more detailed analysis of the Laser report has taken place a more informed, prioritised list of proposed decarbonisation measures will be presented.

“As part of that process a further review will be considered into the benefits of adopting hydroelectric turbines at the site.”

AHEAD of World Environment Day (June 5), Specsavers Haverfordwest has introduced a new recycling initiative, giving customers a simple way to responsibly dispose of their unwanted glasses, case and contact lens packaging.

The initiative forms part of Specsavers’ national roll-out of recycling boxes across all UK stores, supporting the business’s ambition to reduce waste and work towards becoming a climate-positive business.

Delivered in partnership with recycling and waste management company MyGroup, the scheme ensures hard-to-recycle plastics that might otherwise end up in landfill are separated, sorted and repurposed into new materials for products such as joinery boards and furniture.

In 2025, Specsavers and MyGroup recycled 72 tonnes of material, equivalent to the weight of a mature blue whale. The amount, collected from 659 stores and labs, represented an increase of almost five tonnes compared with the previous year.

Head of Sustainability for the UK and Ireland, Helen Curran, says: “At Specsavers we believe that sustainability must show up in our everyday operations. Investing in customer recycling in every one of our UK stores is exactly that: a practical, tangible step that keeps valuable materials in circulation and makes it genuinely easy for our customers to be part of the solution. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of the increased roll out in the years ahead.”

The expansion of the scheme means a further 300 stores now offer recycling facilities and marks the latest milestone in the initiative, which began in 2022.

Wayne Jones, retail director at Specsavers Haverfordwest, adds: “As a business serving the Haverfordwest community, we’re always looking for ways to have a positive impact beyond eye and hearing care. We’re proud to introduce this initiative locally and hope customers will support it by bringing unwanted items into the store during their visits.”

Haverfordwest residents wishing to donate old glasses can visit the store seven days a week.

To find out more information about Specsavers in Haverfordwest, request an appointment or browse the online store, visit www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/haverfordwest.

Additionally, to make eye health accessible to all, the store offers a Home Visits service for those unable to leave their homes unaccompanied due to disability or illness.