The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has welcomed the court appearance of a software pirate caught selling illegal copies of his own company’s software via an internet auction site.

As reported by local paper the Derby Evening Telegraph, the pirate pleaded guilty to selling copies of Derby-based software developer AceCad’s own software, which has helped develop London’s Gherkin building and Wembley Stadium’s sliding roof.

He was discovered selling the software – worth thousands of pounds – for just £12 on eBay, by one of his own colleagues who was surfing the internet looking for a present for his girlfriend, according to the paper.

The pirate is facing a potential jail sentence of up to 10 years after Trading Standards officials from Derby City Council raided his home and discovered more than 200 pirated discs. He is due to be sentenced on 1 February.

Najeeb Kahn, vice-chair, BSA, said: “Software piracy doesn’t just affect multi-national and well-known brands – this latest case underlines the negative impact it can have on smaller specialist UK companies.

“Auctions have developed into a marketplace where sellers feel they are anonymous and out of the reach of law. This case proves them wrong.

“The BSA urges Trading Standards to take a tough stance against online sellers who deceive end users and fuel the demand for copied software,” he added. “Revenues lost to piracy - which are currently running at $1.67bn per year - are vital to the success and survival of many local developers such as AceCad.

“The Business Software Alliance works alongside businesses of all sizes to ensure that they are aware of the consequences of software piracy, but enforcement is a crucial deterrent. We fully support the actions of AceCad and the Trading Standards Authority in taking this to the courts,” Kahn added.

Further Reading:

BSA launches piracy crackdown in Glasgow