Ex-UK cop counterfeiter ‘ruined’
p2pnet.net News:- Big Music says a court action brought by its BPI (British Phonographic Industry) has left retired UK police superintendent John Stewart "financially crippled".
Stewart received a 16-month sentence, suspended for two years, for his part in a counterfeit music and PlayStation operation which also involved his son, Karl and another man, Gurdeep Sanbi.
He sold the CDs, mainly current chart hits, at car boot sales in Leeds and also offered catalogue lists so customers could place orders, says ELSPA (Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association), going on:
"The BPI identified the first seizure of CDs in 1999 and collecting society MCPS and gaming trade body ELSPA also assisted in the case."
Stewart junior and Sanbi received suspended sentences of 12 months and four months and were ordered to pay legal costs of £5,000 (close to $9,500) and £500 (close to $1,000) respectively.
"We were shocked that Stewart received such a laughable sentence," the Yorkshire Post quotes BPI anti-piracy director David Martin as saying.
But the labels weren’t about to leave it at that.
"Stewart was a parasite who had amassed a small fortune at the expense of the British record labels who invest millions of pounds each year in new music," Martin said. "Having built up an illegal retirement fund at our members’ expense, for him to get off was quite simply unacceptable."
Not long after Stewart was sentenced, the BPI sued him.
"The case had been due to go to a damages hearing at the High Court last Monday December 6, and after 14 months of negotiation Stewart agreed to settle hours before the hearing," says the BPI.
The Post says Stewart agreed to pay a further £90,000 (close to $170,000) in damages and costs after the civil case against him.
"Having re-mortgaged his home to pay the costs and damages claims against him, he now faces financial ruin," says the BPI.
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See:-
shocked – Ex-police chief must pay £90,000 for CD scam, Yorkshire Post, December 29, 2005
car boot sales – Former Cop Guilty Of Counterfeiting Scam, ELSPA, October 17, 2002
January 5th, 2005 at 9:34 pm
im not sure what the point of this is? are we supposed to feel sorry for him? he was doing something VERY illegal, and got caught. sucks to be you, sorry buddy.
January 5th, 2005 at 9:44 pm
Agreed.
January 5th, 2005 at 10:25 pm
It’s a report, and if anything, more power to the labels on this one. Counterfeiting isn’t sharing a file, it’s a crime, and no two ways about it. Anyone committing it deserves everything he/she gets.
But even in victory, Big Music has to be nasty. It’s not enough to have nailed the bad guys. The labels have to wallow in it as they try to scare potential counterfeiters away.
But it won’t work, unfortunately. Fake physical product = lotsa dollars which criminals can’t resist, especially considering inexpensive copiers, blanks, etc, are everywhere, and the music, movie and software people make easily copied software by the billion.
Cheers!
January 5th, 2005 at 10:59 pm
not to mention big music and hollywood way over price their products, so people are willing to buy the counterfeit copy. If they charged reasonable rates, then the counterfeiting wouldn’t be that big of a problem.
January 6th, 2005 at 1:15 am
This guy’s life shouldn’t be ruined just because he sold counterfeit goods. It’s not like he murdered or raped anyone. The laws are way out of whack and I strongly disagree with the notion that the record labels are entitled to use their power to ruin this guy’s life.
The punishment should fit the crime. He should have to pay the amount he made when from selling these goods and an additional punitive penalty but nothing more.
Drake
January 6th, 2005 at 7:52 am
I think it’s a matter of the pot calling the kettle black.
– just replaced a few words in the industries statement –
“The Industry was a parasite who had amassed a small fortune at the expense of the Artists who invest millions of hours each year in new music,” Stewart said.
January 6th, 2005 at 1:18 pm
Right.