A judge yesterday turned down a request to stop Public Broadcasting Services from using the name Kontrattakk for a Sunday evening sports programme.

An application for an injunction had been filed by Events Services and Alan Cutajar against the state broadcaster and producer Sandro Micallef.

The court said that in order for the warrant to be issued, it had to be sure that applicants had a prima facie right that merited protection. The court also had to be sure that, if the warrant was not issued, applicants would suffer irremediable harm.

Mr Justice Zammit McKeon found that Events Services held the copyright to the name Kontrattakk when it was broadcast on Favourite Channel. The ownersof Events Services were Mr Cutajar and Mr Micallef. The copyright meant that Events Services and Mr Cutajar had a prima facie right that merited protection.

However, the court concluded that the second necessary requirement for the issue of the warrant, namely that irremediable harm would be caused, had not been proven. The damages that Events Services Ltd and Mr Cutajar would suffer if the warrant was not issued were financial damages and were therefore not of an irremediable nature.

The court therefore dismissed the request for the issue of the warrant.