High cost for man in Preston fake DVD empire

Angry customers raised the alarm after being supplied with counterfeit movies via an e-Bay account linked to an address on Lancaster Road in Preston.

Mohammed Jubir, 24, who had posed as a man called Leo Jones, was exposed as the mastermind, running the fraudulent empire from the bedroom of his parent’s terraced home in Bromley Street, Blackburn.

Investigators found fake DVDS, including True Blood, Game of Thrones and Bones, along with £4,603.85 cash.

He received 12 months suspended for two years and must do 180 hours unpaid work and pay £5,757.13 costs.

Judge Pamela Badley, who ordered £138,789.71 to be confiscated, said: “ You have been indulged, spoiled, babied by your family, and letters show you have not been treated like a responsible adult.

“The enterprise you had in your bedroom that shows you were trading, using your family home to run your fraudulent business, reinforces that view. No-one asked any questions, you were left to get on with it because they believed you’d be doing the right thing.”

The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) said it was “tricky” to estimate how much piracy costs the UK film industry but some figures cite £500m annually.

Kieron Sharp, director general, said: “ Not only does piracy starve the creative industries and UK economy of millions of pounds, but it also impacts the livelihoods of thousands of people who support and work in the industry.

“We would like to thank Lancashire Trading Standards for their efforts in this investigation and will continue to work with them to protect consumers and legitimate businesses falling victim to intellectual property crime.”