TWO men have been jailed for running a major counterfeit operation in Bolton, selling thousands of pirate CDs, films, games and computer software.
Hundreds of master copies of music CDs, DVDs and computer games were seized when trading standards officers raided various premises run by Garry Myerscough, aged 35, of Shady Lane, and Scott Ward, aged 35, of Darwen Road, both Bromley Cross.
It was the culmination of a year-long investigation with other agencies including the Mechanical Copywright Protection Society.
The two men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud at Bolton Crown Court and were sentenced to 90 days imprisonment to be served at weekends over a 51 week period.
Michelle Kay, aged 37, of Lever Bridge Place, who was employed to run the mail order side of the business, also pleaded guilty to the same offence and was handed a 100 hour community punishment order for her role in the business.
Bolton Crown Court heard that the business operated from various premises on industrial estates across Bolton between December 2001 and November 2002.
Pirate goods were sold at computer fairs across the region and through a mail order system run by the three.
The court heard the operation was uncovered when a Trading Standards officer bought counterfeit discs from a computer fair at Wigan Pier in December 2001 where the two men were running a stall, selling four discs for £10.
Leaflets advertising a mail order service were also being handed out to potential customers.
The court heard customers could order whatever fakes they wanted through a web site and they were sent directly to their home.
As part of the investigation, Trading Standards also bought test purchases through the post.
The illegal copies, which covered a wide range of musical tastes and the latest film releases, were made using a re-writer to download music on to blank discs.
The court heard orders were sent via a mail box in Macclesfield to a post office in Bolton where they were picked up by Kay who was in charge of processing them.
Trading Standards officers raided the business premises on November 6, 2002 and arrested Ward, Myerscough and Kay.
A total of 30,000 blank discs were seized and around 800 master copies.
Following the raids, officers intercepted the company's mail and 194 letters were received, some containing new orders and £2,500 cash.
Although it was difficult to accept the exact turnover of the operation, it was agreed that it was in the region of £52,000 over the year.
Wayne Jackson, defending Ward and Myerscough, said the two men had started off running a legitimate business of selling empty discs and it developed into an illegal one.
Andrew Nuttall, who represented Kay, said she was "drawn" into the enterprise and once she realised it was illegal, she should have walked away.
Judge Morris agreed to the intermittent custodial sentence because all three were of impeccable good character.
He told Kay: "It is a tragedy that you are before the courts."
The judge made an order to confiscate £26,400 from Ward and Myerscough, while £3,140 was confiscated from Kay.
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