Counterfeit couple hit with £150,000 asset seizure

6:06pm Thursday 2nd August 2007

A COUPLE incolved in a lucrative film and music disc counterfeiting scam had £150,000 of their assets seized yesterday.

A large amount of equipment for copying DVDs and CDs were recovered in raids at 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.

In March this year James Cowan, 42, was sentenced to two years imprisonment.

At the same hearing Ann Cowan, 38, received nine months imprisonment, but her sentence was suspended for twelve months and she was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Tim Hewitt told them at the sentencing hearing; "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 had also been found guilty of benefit fraud by continuing to claim while racking in money from the scam.

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to the Inland Revenue, and Ann Cowan was found guilty of perverting the course of justice, relating to £13,000 withdrawn from a bank account within days of the first police raid.

Yesterday confiscation proceedings were taken against the couple by the British Phonographic Industry, which brought the initial proscution.

Judge Hewitt ordered the £150,000 which the couple benefited by in the scam should be paid within three months.

During the original trial the court heard there was no evidence of any extravagant lifestyle or hi-living by the couple.

One of the couple's customers, Andrew Wood, 36, who ran the Video Drive store in Sunderland, was jailed for 12 months earlier this year for his part in the scam.

Wood, of Kirkland Hill, Peterlee, was yeserday found to have benefited by £108,326.

His realisable assets of £37,983 were ordered to be seized at the same hearing yesterday.