DVD bootlegger jailed under anti-piracy laws

A JOBLESS man has become the first person in Ireland to be jailed for breaking anti-piracy laws after being spotted selling bootleg compact discs and DVD films.

Martin McDonagh, aged 42, was imprisoned for six months after being caught with 226 counterfeit albums and 176 copied films at his stall at Drishogue Sunday Market in Co Leitrim last November. Among the CDs at the market were the Scissor Sisters’ hit Ta-Dah album, Sam’s Town by The Killers, Westlife’s Face to Face, Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson and Madonna’s Confessions on a Dance Floor.

McDonagh, of Foynes Court, Longford, admitted 10 charges under the copyright act and asked for a further 10 offences to be taken into consideration.

The married father-of-four was also fined €1,500 with €600 costs when he appeared at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court in Co Leitrim last week. The prosecution was brought by the Irish Recorded Music Industry Association (IRMA), which represents the mainstream music industry.

Yesterday IRMA hailed the jail-term as a powerful deterrent in its fight against piracy.

“This sends out a strong warning sign to anyone involved in illegal counterfeiting and CD selling,” said IRMA director-general Dick Doyle. “It is stealing from people who make a livelihood from music so we will do everything in our power to seek out and prosecute anyone involved in any form of unlawful music practice.”

Following years of prosecuting people for copyright infringement, last Wednesday’s court case was the first time IRMA had secured a jail-term for an offender.

“This is the first prison sentence that has been imposed and we intend that it will not be the last,” said Mr Doyle.

IRMA is increasingly turning to court action to deter what it sees as a growing trend for distribution of pirated music.

Earlier this year IRMA went to the High Court’s commercial division to force Ireland’s six biggest internet service providers to hand over the names and addresses of 23 computer users illegally downloading tens of thousands of songs.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly granted the application so IRMA could discover the identities of the 23 and force them to pay compensation or face prosecution in the courts.

IRMA knows the identities of the 23 and is contacting each one to try to reach a private settlement before court action begins.

The international music industry body, IFPI, reckons for every song downloaded legally another 19 are illegal copies, depriving artists of money and record labels of revenue.