Taxi driver denies counterfeiting DVDs and CDs

A Tallaght taxi driver who is alleged to have been running a counterfeit DVD and CD-making business in his home has gone on trial charged with copyright infringement.

Stephen Trimble (aged 24), of Suncroft Drive, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making illegal copies of 10 Digital Video Disc (DVD) film titles and 10 Compact Disc (CD) music titles at his home on October 28, 2005.

He also pleaded not guilty to three counts of having items designed or adapted for making illegal copies of a copyrighted work. The items include six printers, 33 print cartridges, two scanners, one paper guillotine, a memory stick, two computers and six multiple unit CD and DVD burners.

Mr Dominic McGinn BL, prosecuting, in opening the case told the jury it was the State's case that Mr Trimble was operating a business in his home producing illegal copies of DVD's and CD's for sale.

He said there would be garda evidence that a search of the house uncovered a large collection of counterfeit items in a large shed at the back of Mr Trimble's home.

Mr McGinn said garda Karl Griffin would say that behind a false wall in the shed he found six multiple CD and DVD burners. One genuine CD or DVD could be placed in these machines and several copies made from the original simultaneously. The burners were plugged in and connected to the mains.

Mr McGinn said gardaí searching the house interior discovered further items designed or adapted for making copies in a converted attic. These items included two computers, a memory stick, six printers, two scanners, print cartridges and paper for printing CD or DVD covers.

There would be evidence that garda experts in computer analysis examined the two computers and hundreds of copies of DVD and CD covers were found stored on the hard discs.

Mr McGinn told the jury that the copyright owners of the musical and cinematic works found included major corporations such as Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Columbia, Disney, MGM, Sony, EMI and Universal Music Ireland.

A representative of the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) who examined the items is to give evidence that the are counterfeit. The jury will also hear from the Irish National Federation Against Copyright Theft (INFACT), the body who govern the use of copyright in this country.

The trial is expected to last three days before Judge Frank O'Donnell and a jury of two men and ten women.