Legal Information Centre
22 August 2008 by Mary Heaney
Illegal downloaders to be told: Give us £300 or face court action
People suspected of illegal downloading computer games are set to receive demands for £300 to compensate copyright owners or face court action.
Lawyers for a range of games producers have instructed law firm Davenport Lyons to write to 25,000 people that they suspect of illegally downloading and distributing computer games through the internet.
The move follows the successful prosecution of a woman found to have illegally downloaded a computer game through file-sharing site. Isabela Barwinska was ordered to pay £16,000 in damages and disbursements.
Individuals concerned will be sent letters offering an out of court settlement of £300. Those who refuse will face court action.
Davenport Lyons is representing games developers Atari, Topware Interactive, Reality Pump, Techland and Codemasters in the legal action. The move is contingent upon Davenport Lyons succeeding in their High Court application for internet service providers to provide names and addresses for 25,000 individuals suspected of partaking in such illegal activity.
Add Comments
Comments will be edited and authorized at the discretion of Takelegaladvice. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.
Find a Solicitor
More News & Guidance
Renewing restrictive covenants
Companies need to update restrictive covenants when an employee is promoted.
Patients need to understand risks of gastric surgery
Companies promoting obesity surgery need to tell patients about the real risks, says lawyer Sharon Allison.
Parents of obese children could face neglect charges
Parents who ignore advice and guidance concerning their obese children by not encouraging healthy food and exercise may be guilty of neglect, according to child health experts.
Label targets illegal music downloaders
The Ministry of Sound has targeted those it suspects of downloading the label's music without permission with a round of speculative invoicing letters, marking a crackdown on illegal music file sharing.
