Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 22 OCTOBER 2012

Conspiracy To Defraud By Facilitating Copyright Infringement

Cassels
Cassels
Contributor
Cassels

Cassels

Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is a Canadian law firm focused on serving the transaction, advocacy,...

View firm profile
Explore more from Cassels

A recent decision of a criminal court in the United Kingdom found an individual guilty of conspiracy to defraud and sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment as a result of copyright infringing activities.

CanadaIntellectual Property
John McKeown
John McKeown
Author LinkedIn connections

A recent decision of a criminal court in the United Kingdom found an individual guilty of conspiracy to defraud and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment as a result of copyright infringing activities.1

The Facts

The accused developed a website at surfthechannel.com ("the Site"), which he operated from his home. The Site was designed to make films, television programs and music available to the general public through either live streaming or downloading to a user's computer. The vast majority of the material available through the Site infringed copyright.

In many cases, the Site enabled users to watch or download mainstream films free of charge and, in some cases, even before the film was released in England or within hours of its release.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

CIPO Issues Practice Notice On Redacting Postal Addresses And Removing Unrelated Documents From TDRS

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office has issued new guidance on when trademark applicants can redact postal addresses or remove documents from public records. Understanding these strict requirements and exceptional circumstances is crucial for protecting privacy while maintaining compliance with Canada's trademark registration transparency obligations.
CanadaIntellectual Property
Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala
Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala
Article

Patenting Innovation In Data Centres: Protecting Configurations, Cooling Technologies, And The Green Advantage

The rapid expansion of data centre infrastructure has made these facilities a focal point for technological innovation and intellectual property investment. From server configurations to advanced cooling systems, the technologies deployed inside data centres represent significant R&D expenditure and competitive advantages. Patent protection offers operators and developers opportunities to safeguard innovations...
GlobalIntellectual Property
Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG
Article

Fast-Tracking Your Patent Application In Canada: CIPO Expands The Key Technology Expedited Program

For Canadian innovators, the patenting process can seem unreasonably slow. In an effort to address this, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) created various procedures to expedite the examination process in Canada. Knowing which fast track options exist, when they make sense, and how to use them effectively can provide a significant commercial advantage.
CanadaIntellectual Property
Cassels
Cassels
Article

Canada Announces New Counter-Tariffs And Support Measures Following US Tariff Actions

Canada has announced sweeping counter-tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on approximately C$27.6 billion of US imports, effective September 8, 2026, in direct response to President Trump's 50% Section 338 tariffs on Canadian goods. The measures target key sectors including steel, aluminum, dairy, appliances, and electronics, while the federal government simultaneously rolls out C$7.5 billion in support for affected businesses and workers. Understanding whether products qualify as US goods under Canada's markin
CanadaInternational Law
Cassels
Cassels
Article

New Can-Do CANDU Energy: Bill C-39 Looks To Reduce Regulatory Burdens And Streamline The Development Of Nuclear Projects In Canada

Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, proposes significant reforms to Canada's nuclear regulatory framework by restoring impact assessment authority to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and introducing streamlined approval processes. The legislation aims to reduce regulatory duplication, permit preliminary construction activities before final project approval, and establish more constrained timelines for nuclear project assessments. Will these measures be sufficient to support the ambitious growth
CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Cassels
Cassels
Article

Bill C-39: A New Era For Canadian Mining Project Approvals?

The Canadian government has introduced Bill C-39, the Building Canada Strong Act, proposing sweeping reforms to federal project approval processes that could fundamentally reshape mining project development and financing. The legislation aims to consolidate multiple federal reviews into a single coordinated process with a one-year decision timeline, while maintaining environmental protections and Indigenous consultation requirements.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Cassels
Cassels
Article

Cassels On Competition: October 2026

More particularly, the Plaintiff had argued that the drip pricing provision in subsection 52(1.3) of the Competition Act requires “all-inclusive pricing” and forbids all forms of “fragmented or segmented pricing,” and that Ticketmaster’s partitioned price representations are thus prohibited as a criminal conduct and amount to false or misleading representations covered by the criminal misleading advertising provision in section 52
CanadaAntitrust/Competition Law
Cassels
Cassels
Article

Substance Over Form: Ontario Court Of Appeal Revisits Employee Classification In Pringle v. Zenova Group PLC

The Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled that contractual labels cannot override the true nature of working relationships, even when workers choose independent contractor status for tax benefits. This decision examines how shareholding in a company intersects with employment status and whether foreign forum selection clauses can prevent Ontario workers from accessing provincial employment protections.
CanadaEmployment and HR
Cassels
Cassels