"These were very serious offences, and as such they carry up to a 10 year penalty, said Sheriff Brown, delivering the sentence. He ordered forfeiture of the pirated products and the computers and other duplication equipment used by Malone.
According to UK record industry association the BPI, Malone supplied industrial units across the west of Scotland with fakes on demand. On his arrest, counterfeit product with a market value of £18,000 was seized.
"It's impossible to know exactly how much Mr Malone made during the operation,” said BPI Director of Anti-Piracy David Martin. “But given the rapid turnover of counterfeit stock in these cases, it's not unreasonable to assume that at its peak, this illicit business was turning over tens of thousands of pounds a week."
The BPI first became aware of Malone's activities in 2002 but he strengthened the case against himself when he unwittingly posted a leaflet advertising his services through the door of one of the enforcement agencies' offices.
A 12-month multi-agency investigation then ensued, involving North Lanarkshire Trading Standards Special Projects Unit, the BPI, The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), games industry trade body ELSPA and Strathclyde Police.
"Commercial music piracy is a growing problem, and sadly not all criminals are stupid enough to alert the authorities to their activities like this,” said Martin. “But by working with our colleagues in the film and software industry as well as Trading Standards and police, we have a growing team of investigators working to fight the counterfeiters."
