A husband and wife who owned a video store in Merseyside, UK, have been sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court for offences relating to the manufacture, distribution and sale of counterfeit DVDs, music CDs and video games, following a prosecution by Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT).

Ian Jameson, age 35, of Knowsley had pleaded guilty to 14 offences under Trade Marks and Copyright Design and Patents Acts and was sentenced to 14 x two years imprisonment to run concurrently. His wife, Amanda Jameson, age 35, was sentenced to two x 10 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and 150 hours community punishment order, having pleaded guilty to two offences.

The offences took place between 2003 and 2005 and involved the pair copying DVDs and CDs in their home and selling the pirate material in their retail premises, Rockys Videos, Manchester Road in Knowsley.

In separate developments, two men aged 16 and 21 from Newport have been arrested in connection with an investigation into a website selling pirate films and music. The arrests were made last week by Newport Safer Neighbourhoods Team from Hampshire Police working with FACT. The men have been bailed until February 2008 for further enquiries.

Story filed 19.09.07