Two Wicklow companies have received fines from the Premium Rate Services Regulator in Britain (Icstis).

Prime Media with registered offices at 3 Herbert Road, Bray, had a STG£50,000 fine handed down on the 17th March 2006. Access to the service was barred for 15 months, and the company was referred to the Irish regulator (regtel).

The British regulator acted on complaints from the public. The regulator found that the promotion was misleading. In the competition, the top prize was a car. When a consumer scratched the card, three matching car symbols were revealed regardless of what actual prize was won. Full details of the judgement are available here. Prime Media did not respond to the regulator in relation to the breaches.

This is not the first time that the Wicklow registered company has been in breach of premium rate regulations. Other judgements and fines include

6th September 2004 – STG£10,000. 19th May 2005 – STG£20,000. 19th August 2005 – STG £20,000. 19th October – STG£25,000. Total in fines to date : £125,000.

Although the company is registered at 3 Herbert Road, Bray, the Companies Registration Office lists the directors as residing in Killiney, Co. Dublin. 3 Herbert Road Bray is also the registered address of a Bray solicitors firm.

The second company, Mount Wilson based in Enniskerry was fined £500 in a case that they claim was an attempt by a third partie(s) to discredit them.

In addition to the 2 Wicklow firms, 6 other Irish companies received fines from the British Regulator.