Landmark case as man sentenced to 12 months in prison for pirating music
Landmark case for PRS for Music and PIPCU as man sentenced to 12 months in prison for pirating music
- Illegal pirating of Top 40 tracks estimated to cost music industry millions of pounds
- First custodial sentence to result from joint investigation between PRS for Music and PIPCU
A Liverpool man has been sentenced to a 12 month prison sentence after pleading guilty to illegally distributing chart hits online, potentially costing the music industry millions of pounds and depriving the creators of the content fair remuneration for their work.
In a milestone case, yesterday's sentencing is the result of a joint investigation between PRS for Music and the City of London’s Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) and is the first custodial sentence to arise from the two organisations working together.
On Friday 7 October at Liverpool Crown Court, Wayne Evans pleaded guilty to illegally uploading the UK’s Top 40 singles to various torrent sites as they were announced each week by the Official Charts Company. The 39-year-old was also distributing tracks through his own website, including ‘acappella’ music to be used for DJ-ing and remixing.
PIPCU is a specialist national police unit dedicated to protecting the UK industries that produce legitimate, high quality, physical goods and online and digital content from intellectual property crime. Funded by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), the unit is based within the Economic Crime Directorate of the City of London Police, which is the National Policing Lead for Fraud.
Today’s sentencing will suggest to others that illegally distributing music is not without its consequences. Evans caused significant loss to the music industry and his actions will have effected jobs across the music industry. By working with partners such as PRS for Music we are better able to work collaboratively to ensure the best investigation of people like Evans and ensure that they are brought to justice.
Music piracy on a commercial scale is a serious criminal offence and this sentencing by the Crown Court acknowledges that. Copyright infringement has a severe impact on the livelihoods of creators and so it is important that PRS for Music, alongside PIPCU, continues to champion and protect our members’ rights. We hope that today’s sentencing sends a message to all those involved in this type of criminal activity, that consequences will follow.
This activity forms part of PRS for Music’s continued fight against music piracy on behalf of its members. Recognising the importance of investing in digital tools to help protect the value of its members’ repertoire, earlier this year PRS for Music launched the ‘Member Anti-Piracy System’ (MAPS), a new anti-piracy takedown tool. Developed in partnership with the Publishers Association, MAPS works by tracking and enabling PRS and MCPS members to request takedowns of PRS for Music repertoire that are made publically available on unlicensed and infringing sites. It also allows members to send takedown notices to Google, which has the power to remove search results that link to the infringing sites. PRS and MCPS members can contact the PRS for Music Anti-Piracy Unit by emailing maps@prsformusic.com for removal of infringements of repertoire on their behalf.
If you believe you know someone involved in intellectual property crime you can report it anonymously to Crimestoppers online or on 0800 555 111.
About the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU)
The Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) is a specialist national police unit dedicated to protecting the UK industries that produce legitimate, high quality, physical goods and online and digital content from intellectual property crime.
The unit is dedicated to tackling serious and organised intellectual property crime (counterfeit and piracy) affecting physical and digital goods (with the exception of pharmaceutical goods) with a focus on offences committed using an online platform.
About PRS for Music
Here for music since 1914, PRS for Music is a world-leading music collective management organisation representing the rights of more than 175,000 talented songwriters, composers and music publishers. Redefining the global standard for music royalties, PRS for Music ensures songwriters and composers are paid whenever their musical compositions and songs are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, performed and played in public.
For 110 years it has grown and protected the rights of the music creator community, paying out royalties with more accuracy, transparency and speed. In 2023, PRS for Music paid out £943.6m in royalties and collected a record £1.08 billion in revenues. prsformusic.com
