Bathroom salesman sentenced for selling illegal streaming devices

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 08:02 · Archive

A bathroom salesman has received a suspended prison sentence for making £40,000 selling illegal streaming devices.

Aaron Smith, a bathroom salesman from St Osyth, has been given a suspended prison sentence after admitting to selling illegal streaming devices known as firesticks. He advertised the technology on Facebook and WhatsApp, selling them for £80 each and charging customers £75 for annual renewals. Over three years from 2021 to 2024, he accumulated £41,285 from the criminal activity.

Smith continued selling the devices despite receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Essex Police in 2023 and hid the proceeds by transferring cash to a Monzo bank account. Officers from Essex Police's money laundering team arrested him on 30 December 2024 and raided his address in Clacton, seizing several devices. He admitted one count each of selling an article infringing copyright and converting criminal property.

His defence lawyer argued Smith did not know the activity was illegal and questioned whether the cease-and-desist letter was genuine, citing personal difficulties at the time. She said Smith paid a monthly subscription himself to a company providing the underlying software and that many of his customers were friends and family.

How it is being reported

• Pictured: the salesman sentenced for making £40,000 from dodgy firesticksA bathroom salesman who made more than £40,000 selling illegal streaming devices giving access to Sky and TNT Sport has been handed a suspended prison sentence.Colchester Gazette · 16 Oct, 05:00
• Pictured: the salesman sentenced for making £40,000 from dodgy firesticksA bathroom salesman who made more than £40,000 selling illegal streaming devices giving access to Sky and TNT Sport has been handed a suspended prison sentence.Echo (Basildon) · 16 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Aaron Smith · Chelmsford Crown Court · Essex Police · St Osyth · Clacton

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem