In a truly ironic case, a police officer with the Greater Manchester Police has received a one year sentence for operating a pirate video service that cost a UK satellite TV provider more than £2 million in lost revenue.
The pirate operator ran a streaming IP video portal that was accessible via Web browsers, using a subscription payment model, and also sold more than 1,600 illicit streaming devices.
The pirate reported no revenue to the UK’s tax authorities, making it both an intellectual property crime and a financial crime as well.
The Detective Constable of the Greater Manchester Police lamented that the pirate “was a police employee with a good career. Â That is now in tatters and he’s facing a lengthy prison sentence during which to contemplate his foolish and deceitful actions.”
Why it matters
This again underscores the importance of collaboration in fighting piracy; this time, between local law enforcement, financial intelligence and FACT, the UK intellectual property organization. Â Presumably, the affected satellite TV operator was also involved, although no such details were cited in FACT’s news release.
