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Filesharer gets £16k slap

By Johanna Gibson, David Pearce, Jeremy Phillips and Ilanah Simon.

As noted by a couple of eagle-eyed IPKat readers, the UK Patents Court has ruled against a computer user for making a copy of a computer game available online via a filesharing network. Topware Interactive was awarded £6000 in damages and £10,000 in costs after winning their case against Londoner Isabella Barwinska for infringing copyright in the game Dream Pinball 3D.

Right: pinball, IPKat-style; (image from Mirinda the orange cat).

More information about the case can be found from the BBC, the Register and Out-Law, among other places, although the judgment itself is not apparently yet available online.

The IPKat has some difficulty imagining how the figure for damages might have been arrived at, but he cannot see how the decision could have come out any different if Ms Barwinksa did indeed act as has been reported. Merpel wonders why she didn't just pay the £300 settlement instead, and wonders what kind of legal advice she was getting at the time.

Full post as published by IPKat on August 19, 2008 (boomark / email).