Man gets four years in the clink for running pirate DVD racket
A 46 year old man has been sentenced to four years in prison for producing and distributing illegally copied games, films and music.
Gordon Cullen, from Wirral, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment following an investigation by Wirral Trading Standards and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Gordon also pleaded guilty at Mold Crown Court to having claimed nearly £69,000 in Income Support and other benefits while living a life of luxury, including regularly flying first class to Thailand.
Lengthy surveillance, including several test purchases, were carried out by ELSPA (the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association), film and music investigators at Coed Mawr market in Flintshire where Cullen and his 25 year old daughter ran a stall selling the bootleg goods.
The pair were charging £5 each with discounted prices of three for £10 or seven for £20. All of the games and DVDs and sold were illegal copies.
In October 2006, both of the Cullen’s homes were raided by Trading Standards and Merseyside Police in conjunction with a series of coordinated raids, codenamed ‘Operation Buzzard’ – involving ELSPA investigators, Trading Standards Officers from Wirral and Flintshire Councils, DWP investigators and representatives of the music industry. Equipment used in the manufacture of illegally copied games and films and large quantities of counterfeit goods, together with financial evidence, was seized.
As well as receiving 32 months for counterfeiting offences Cullen was also sentenced to 16 months for benefit fraud. Additionally, following a lengthy financial investigation by the Regional Asset Recovery Team, Judge Hughes also imposed a £190,000 confiscation order against Gordon Cullen based on his illegal profits. If he fails to pay this sum in six months he will be sentenced to a further three years in prison.
Pauline Cullen was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 18 months and ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work to be completed in 18 months.
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This man did not get four years for pirating DVDs!
32 months for counterfeiting
16 months for benefit fraud.
Maybe another 3 years if is doesn't pay £190k
Did you read your own story?
Would you be locked up for 3 years £190k? maybe it a good price!