A GALASHIELS woman traded online in pirate DVDs and CDs – worth over £54,000 – from her website.
First offender Angela Cochrane, of Penman Place, admitted three charges of infringing copyright by illegal trading from her home between April 18, 2005, and January 6, 2011. She also admitted making DVDs and CDs she knew were illicit recordings.
The 51-year-old further admitted having two computer base units, three hard drives, two micro SD cards and a memory card specifically designed or adapted to make copies.
At Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday, prosecutor Tessa Bradley said Cochrane was running a trading website and was found with paraphernalia for making illicit recordings. She said the offences came to light following investigations by the BPI anti-piracy unit.
“During October 2010, information was received by staff at the anti-piracy unit that the accused was distributing pirate discs and had a significant customer base,” explained Ms Bradley. “She was trading from her website, Angie’s Bootleg DVDs.”
Investigations were carried out and police obtained a search warrant for the accused’s home, where a large quantity of material was found. Cochrane admitted she was the website proprietor, but denied offering items for cash sale, saying she traded discs with others.
“It is accepted by the Crown that she was not selling them,” explained Ms Bradley, “but that it was a trading site swopping with other users. She was either burning off DVDs and posting them or downloading them.
“In excess of 3,000 productions were found, which gives an idea of the scale,” she added.
“The bootleg material is valued in excess of £54,000 – based on what it would have cost if bought legitimately,” concluded Ms Bradley.
Defence solicitor Mat Patrick said some of the items recovered from his client’s home had been bought legitimately.
Sheriff Peter Paterson deferred sentence until March 18 for a break- down of the value for forfeiture.