By Simon Quicke1 September 2008
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has applauded the
decision by Derby Crown Court to follow-up a jail term for Gary Scrimshaw for breach
of intellectual property with a demand for £15,931.
Scrimshaw was the first person convicted of piracy with most
cases usually ending in an out of court settlement before the sentencing stage
and faces a further eight months if he cannot find the money the court is
asking for.
Scrimshaw was caught by Trading Standards in a raid in 2006 with
11,500 CDs and DVDs including software from Adobe, Apple, Microsoft and
Symantec.
In the past the likes of the BSA have shared reseller frustration
that a prison term might serve as a more powerful warning than a settlement, the details of which are
usually undisclosed.
Najeeb Khan, Vice Chair, BSA UK Member committee, said
that the consequences pf the case were clear: “It sends a very clear message
that the consequences of piracy can be severe and that serious offenders will
be pursued all the way.”
“Mr. Scrimshaw was not only robbing creators of
intellectual property of the rewards for their efforts, but also duping
consumers and damaging the local and national economies,” he added.
Recent IDC figures revealed
that the UK
level of piracy stands at 26% costing the channel in terms of lost revenue,
marketing funds and potential employment opportunities.
