Latest Teesside headlines straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A boxing fan was hit with an £85,000 demand after a drunk pal streamed Anthony Joshua’s big fight to 4,250 people on Facebook.

Scarborough’s Craig Foster, 34, shelled out £19.95 to watch the sell-out Wembley bout with Wladimir Klitschko on Sky at home during a boozy session with friends.

But the media giant landed him with the knockout blow after one guest picked up Craig’s iPad, called up Facebook Live, and pointed it at his TV.

Sky tracked down Craig from a watermark of his account number which flashed up on screen during April’s bout, in which AJ beat the Ukrainian in the eleventh round.

They cancelled his subscription – and sent him an £85,000 demand for the loss in revenue from pay-per-view sales.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

He’s now agreed to pay Sky £5,000, but admits: “I don’t even have that, never mind £85,000.

“They can’t just hit a man with a few money problems with a £5,000 bill.

“I think this is scaremongering.”

And the Dad-of-one told the Sunday Mirror: “I’d paid for the boxing, it wasn’t like I was making any money.

“My iPad was signed in to my Facebook account and my friend just started streaming the fight.

“I didn’t think anything of it, then a few days later they cut my subscription.

“They’re demanding the names and addresses of all my mates who were round that night but I’m not going to give them up. I said I’d take the rap.”

Pals are now trying to crowdfund Craig’s cash to avoid him having to go to court.

But his ordeal has caused the 34-year-old - who suffers from anxiety - huge amounts of stress.

“I had been working in America for three months so I didn’t even know this was all going on,” said Craig, who works at coach building firm Plaxtons as a welder.

“I came back and opened my envelopes and the first one said court proceedings are under way - I was gutted.”

He claims he rang 11 different law firms over Christmas to try and resolve the wrangle - but was told he would have to pay around £250-an-hour legal fees on top of his bill.

And he adds: “I was due to go back to America on Monday but I’ve cancelled it as I can’t cope with all of this ongoing.”

(Image: PA)

Facebook faced a wave of criticism over the fight after more than 400,000 people used the site to watch illegal live streams. It was claimed it cost Sky millions in lost revenue.

More than 400,000 people used the site to watch illegal live streams.

Craig said: “They’re making an example of me.

“I know streaming the fight was wrong. I didn’t stop my friend but I was watching the boxing. I’m just a bloke who had a few drinks with his friends.”

Craig says he has been bombarded with letters from law firm Foot Anstey LLP, who represent Sky.

One ordered him to pay £5,000 in legal costs or face court over the full amount. It said the “unlawful redistribution …of [Sky’s] content is a serious matter which has a significant impact on its business.”

The letter also demanded an apology “to use in education materials concerning unlawful redistribution of programmes.”

Craig claims he agreed to the demand in a panic, claiming he was given only 24 hours to seek advice – but now plans to fight it in court.

He added: “It’s heavy-handed. I’ve apologised and told them we were drunk.”

Neil Parkes, of Foot Anstey, said: “Mr Foster broke the law.

“He has acknowledged his wrongdoing, apologised and signed a legally binding agreement to pay a sum of £5,000 to Sky.”

Last May’s Digital Economy Act raised the maximum jail term for copyright infringement to 10 years.

Aimed at pirates selling illegal content, it could also apply to live social media streams.

And Craig has spoken out to try and warn other people from streaming in future.

“I work with a lad whose son has done this four times,” he admits.

“Sky has pumped millions into this, and I understand why.

“But I’ve Googled cases where people have put the boxing on in a packed pub and only paid a few grand.

“The punishment shouldn’t go on the numbers of people who watched it, it should just be a one-off set fine.

“If someone breaks the law, there is a sentence for that crime - that shouldn’t be able to change.”