UK Govt pushes 10 years sentence for online pirates

The UK government is pushing for an increase in the punishment for online copyright infringement offenses, which could see pirates jailed for a maximum of 10 years.

The proposed amendment to the UK’s Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA 1988) was outlined in a study commissioned by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in March last year.

The report which suggested online pirates’ punishment should fall in line with offenses such as counterfeiting was welcomed by copyright holders and the UK government, who in July last year announced a consultation to gauge support for an amendment on the current maximum punishment of two years.

Now, UK Minister for Intellectual Property Baroness Neville-Rolfe has released the findings of the consultation and confirmed the government will be asking Parliament for a 10-year maximum sentence.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe said: “The revised provisions will help protect rights holders, while making the boundaries of the offense clearer, so that everyone can understand how the rules should be applied.”

However, of the 1,032 responses, it’s clear in the findings where the public sits on the harsher penalty.

The government has addressed one major concern over whether those that infringe copyright unknowingly should be subject to a 10-year sentence. It had said “enforcement agencies and private prosecutors have a staged response system, encompassing education, ‘cease and desist’ notices, and domain suspension.”

The government will now provide Parliament with its re-drafted offense provisions at the “earliest available legislative opportunity.”