South Yorkshire Police give ELSPA a hand

In November of last year, Sheffield-based conman Craig Collins was accused of several trademark offences relating to video game content. After a search warrant was granted, the raid, which took place at his home, revealed over £5,000-worth of counterfeit software, including 112 PlayStation games and a mixture of CD-ROMs.

With the help of local police and the video games industry body ELSPA, Mr Collins was charged, found guilty and sentenced to two years conditional discharge. He was also forced to surrender any software and hardware to ELSPA indefinitely. Now that’s justice.

ELPSA expressed its thanks to the law enforcement team that helped in the anti-piracy campaign. "ELSPA wishes to applaud the actions of South Yorkshire Constabulary who co-ordinated the investigation in a professional, proactive manner which led to this man being arrested and charged,” said Roger Bennett, Director of ELSPA. "This case highlights to anyone tempted to become involved in the illegal copying of computer games software the very real threat of criminal prosecution, and a criminal record."

Another one in the bag for paying consumers, then. Happy hunting, ELSPA.