Open season to catch dodgers.

TELEVISION licence dodgers in Warwickshire are being warned an England defeat may not be the only miserable result of Euro 2000.

Television licence inspectors will be in the area during the month-long tournament in a bid to catch fans watching games at home without a licence.

Anyone caught without a licence could face a court appearance and fine of up to pounds 1,000.

Simon Ablitt, director of field operations at TV Licensing, said previous national figures showed the number of licence dodgers caught incr-eased during major football tournaments.

He said: "In 1996 we caught 22,893 evaders in May, with this figure inc- reasing by 3,000 to 25,862 throughout June and the Euro '96 tournament."

Viewing figures for Euro 2000 are expected to equal the 25 million who watched Euro '96.

Mr Ablitt added: "With about 1,000 evaders caught each day in the UK, the net is closing on households without a licence.

"We are not out to spoil anyone's enjoyment of what promises to be an excellent tournament but there really is no excuse for people not having a licence.

"We have worked hard to make it as simple as possible for people to obtain a licence no matter what their situation."

A colour TV licence costs pounds 104 a year from any post office.

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Publication:	Coventry Evening Telegraph (England)
Date:	Jun 10, 2000
Words:	220
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