[Ecommerce] First UK lawsuit against file sharers

[Michelle Childs]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/02/bpi_sues_five/

UK music biz sues five 'illegal file-sharers'
By Tony Smith
Published Tuesday 2nd August 2005 11:15 GMT
UK music trade organisation the BPI yesterday filed lawsuits against five
alleged file-sharers, the first of their kind in this country.

The BPI alleges the five separately offered a total of 8,906 songs
available around the world via P2P networks. None of the five - three men
and two women - had permission to do so, the organisation claims.


The defendants are among dozens of alleged file-sharers who the
organisation has pursued this year. Since April, 60 individuals have
entered into out-of-court settlements with the BPI, paying up to =A36,500 i=
n
compensation. However, the five people served with lawsuits refused to
settle, the BPI said.

"We will be seeking an injunction and full damages for the losses they
have caused, in addition to the considerable legal costs we are incurring
as a result of their illegal activity," said BPI General Counsel Geoff
Taylor in a statement.

The five individuals were not named, but the BPI said they live in King's
Lynn, Crawley, Port Talbot, Brighton and South Glamorgan. Their identities
were obtained by the BPI after the UK court on 11 March ordered ISPs to
provide the names of account holders accused of illegal file-sharing. =AE




--
Michelle Childs -Head of European Affairs
Consumer Project on Technology in London
24, Highbury Crescent, London, N5 1RX,UK.
Tel:+44(0)207 226 6663 ex 252.
Mob:+44(0)790 386 4642. Fax: +44(0)207 354 0607
http://www.cptech.org

Consumer Project on Technology in Washington, DC
PO Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel.:  1.202.387.8030, fax: 1.202.234.5176

Consumer Project on Technology in Geneva
1 Route des  Morillons, CP 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 791 6727