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A UK man who taunted police on social media has been jailed for two and half years for selling counterfeit DVDs and CDs valued at up to £2 million ($1.3 million).
Andrew Thornton was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Tuesday, May 10.
Thornton sold counterfeit DVDs and CDs from stalls at Bovingdon Market.
During a three year investigation, which ended in June 2014, the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) and trading standards officers seized 27,000 fakes. The products had an estimated retail price of £2 million.
Thornton was arrested several times during the three years. On one occasion, after being released, he posted a reference to the Leonardo DiCaprio film “Catch me if you can” on Facebook.
The film tells the story of a young con artist on the run from the FBI.
Sentencing Thornton, Judge Marie Catterson said: “It indicates your contemptuous attitude to the enforcement authorities and your total lack of remorse at that time.”
Kieron Sharp, director general of FACT, said: “Many people think copyright theft is a victimless crime and that buying a fake DVD or watching a film from a pirate site has no direct consequences. However, this could not be any further from the truth.”
Thornton will serve half of his sentence in prison and half on licence.
Counterfeit, DVDs, CDs, Catch Me If You Can, Leonardo DiCaprio, Her Honour Judge Marie Catterson, Kieron Sharp, copyright, FACT,
