A Cornish roofer has become the latest target in the Federation Against Software Theft (FAST)'s ongoing piracy smackdown.

FAST said yesterday that it had busted an "unlawful software ring" at Philip Rogers' home in Redruth, Cornwall.

An investigation was launched after Primal Pictures discovered Rogers was allegedly selling counterfeit copies of the firm's specialist anatomy software on eBay, presumably to cash-strapped medical students.

A member of FAST caught Rogers out by posing as a buyer and purchasing an unlawful copy of the software via the online auction site.

Newly-installed FAST chief executive John Lovelock said in a statement:

"We entered into correspondence with Rogers, informing him of our discoveries and letting him know that all our member wanted was for him to destroy the unlawful stock of copied software he had manufactured, acknowledge that he had breached copyright, and enter into discussions regarding compensation."

According to FAST, Rogers had initially claimed there was no evidence to prove he had created and distributed dodgy copies of the software.

Primal Pictures chief executive Peter Allan said: "We went to The Federation* to help us settle this without going to court, and we're happy that the rogue seller has ceased his unlawful activities so that we can stay in business."

Last week FAST was cracking down on software pirates in Wales. Just weeks ago Glasgow was fingered as the UK's second worst city for software piracy.®

Bootnote

*Sounding a bit like a government department in George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, er, FAST has recently begun insisting that it is referred to as The Federation in all correspondence.