{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/communications-act-2003/section-125",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/communications-act-2003/section-125.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2003/21",
  "legislation_title": "Communications Act 2003",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/communications-act-2003",
  "path": "section/125",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "125",
  "heading": "Dishonestly obtaining electronic communications services",
  "text": "(1) A person who—\n(a) dishonestly obtains an electronic communications service, and\n(b) does so with intent to avoid payment of a charge applicable to the provision of that service,\nis guilty of an offence.\n(2) It is not an offence under this section to obtain a service mentioned in section 297(1) of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c. 48) (dishonestly obtaining a broadcasting ... service provided from a place in the UK).\n(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—\n(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;\n(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine, or to both.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 125(2) repealed (31.10.2003) by The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2498), reg. 1, Sch. 2 (with regs. 31-40)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 125 in force at 25.7.2003 for specified purposes by S.I. 2003/1900, arts. 1(2), 2(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 3) (as amended by S.I. 2003/3142, art. 1(3))"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I2",
      "text": "S. 125 in force at 29.12.2003 in so far as not already in force by S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(2) (with art. 11)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/21/section/125",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:18:16.154105+00:00",
    "licence": "OGL-UK-3.0",
    "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
    "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
  }
}