Aussie RIAA tries to horn in on court case

In a move of mind-boggling arrogance, the Australian Recording Industry Association's chief enforcer, Michael Speck, tried to directly influence a court case involving the sentencing of three men who pleaded guilty to Australia's first criminal internet piracy charges.

THE ARIA is Australia's RIAA equivalent and Speck runs the ARIA's Music Industry Piracy Investigations (MIPI) unit.

He's already on record as saying he'd be "filing evidence about its right [the MIPI] to appear in the case", stating, "We will be concerned that any penalty reflects the criminality."

"MIPI wanted to apply for costs because, counsel John Hennessy told the court, it spent 'hundreds of thousands of dollars' and conducted '80 per cent' of the investigations before handing the case over to the Australian Federal Police." says Louise Milligan in an October 2 The Australian story here.

This will come as no surprise to recording industry watchers who know the RIAA, MPAA and their various clones around the world have already successfully penetrated international police forces and other enforcement agencies and routinely use them as unpaid entertainment industry cops.

Now, "industry representatives believe the plea bargain they allege was struck between Peter Tran, 20, Tommy Le, 21, and Charles Ng, 20, and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) means the trio will be given penalties too lenient for their crimes," says Milligan, continuing:

"In an unusual move, industry spokesman Michael Speck ... applied yesterday to the NSW [New South Wales] Local Court to be heard on behalf of the victims during sentencing submissions because he said the DPP's case was deficient.

"Magistrate John Andrews refused the application, saying it was 'totally inappropriate for an organisation such as MIPI to have a direct role' in sentencing procedure, and that there was no precedent to allow it.

Outside the court, "We came to court today because the case was watered down to nothing," Speck is quoted as saying.

"We see this as a sophisticated international massive agreement to rip off copyright -the DPP's version of it is a lowly street-level offence.

"These guys will be getting away with the biggest rip-off of copy in Australian history, and they will probably get away with a slap on the wrist."

Le, Tran and Ng ran a Napster-style site known as "DJ Ace" ofdering 390 CDs and more than 1800 tracks, says The Australian.

Counsel representing the DPP, Paul Roberts SC, said the "self-styled investigation agency" had "absolutely no standing" to appear before the court, added Milligan.

Le, Tran and Ng will be sentenced on November 10.