Man jailed for role in counterfeiting scam (From The Northern Echo)

Man jailed for role in counterfeiting scam

9:03am Friday 30th March 2007 in

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A COUPLE involved in a £1.5m film and music disc counterfeiting scam were sentenced yesterday.

Police seized a large amount of equipment for copying DVDs and CDs from James and Ann Cowan's home, in Quinn Close, Peterlee, County Durham, and at their caravan at Crimdon Dene, on the County Durham coast.

Both were found guilty by a jury at Durham Crown Court of conspiring to defraud the film and music industry, between June 1999 and June 2005.

They appeared at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday for sentencing.

James Cowan, 42, was jailed for two years.

Ann Cowan, 38, received nine months, but her sentence was suspended for 12 months and she was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Tim Hewitt told them: "I accept straight away at this stage it is not possible to assertain the extent of the turnover of profits because of the absence of proper records, but such reconstruction of the records that has taken place suggests sales at this stage of around £1.5m.

"Whatever the precise figure, it is clear this operation carried on for a substantial period of time and it was a substantial operation.

"This was not someone carrying out some operation in their front room to supply to family and friends."

Judge Hewitt said he was satisfied Ann Cowan played a lesser role in the operation than her husband.

The pair were also found guilty of benefit fraud by continuing to claim while raking in money from the scam.

James Cowan was found guilty of failing to disclose his earnings to the Inland Revenue, and Ann Cowan was found guilty of perverting the course of justice, relating to £13,000 withdrawn from a bank account within days of the first police raid.

The Cowans had denied all charges against them throughout, and disputed the £1.5m figure claimed by prosecutors.

Confiscation proceedings will be taken against the couple by the British Phonographic Industry which brought the initial prosecution.