“Many people see no harm in illegally streaming TV services but they are wrong,” Det Sgt Steve Frame, from Merseyside Police, said.

He said Edge’s sentence should “serve as a further warning how seriously such copyright theft continues to be taken”.

Mr Plumb said the selling of Premier League broadcast rights helped support “financial contributions to the whole football pyramid”.

“We’re pleased that the courts have once again recognised the importance of safeguarding these rights,” he added.

Keiron Sharp, of the intellectual property rights watchdog FACT, said those who create an illegal business to sell stolen content will be investigated, “regardless of their level of operation or advertising methods”.

In a statement, the Premier League added: “Edge ignored multiple warnings to stop this activity, which was referenced by the judge and treated as an aggravating factor towards the sentence passed.

“The judge also recognised that legitimate subscribers are victims of these fraudulent operations and therefore their impact goes beyond that experienced by the broadcast industry.”