The High Court has heard that a British Student facing trial and possible imprisonment in the US has struck a deal to avoid extradition after being accused of breaking copyright laws by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency.
Richard O’Dwyer from Sheffield was accused in 2010 after the US authorities obtained a warrant and seized the domain name TVShack, which they said had hosted web links to pirated movies and TV shows, had earned more than £147,000 in advertising revenue.
After a court ruling in May, Home Secretary Theresa May approved Mr O’Dwyer’s extradition to the US, where he could have faced jail, if convicted of the accusations and then he was told that his appeal against the decision, which was due to take place in July at the High Court, would be delayed.
However, now it is understood that Mr O’Dwyer will travel voluntarily to the US this month having signed a “deferred prosecution” agreement, which will require him to pay a small sum in compensation.
Human rights and other campaigners have welcomed the proposed settlement of the case but are concerned that the US authorities have had the power to try and prosecute a UK citizen for an alleged copyright crime that took place in the UK, saying that the extradition laws need urgent reform.
Meanwhile, the voluntary US copyright scheme designed to head off anti-piracy legislation has been delayed again because of Hurricane Sandy. The Center for Copyright Information (CCI) says that letters will not now be sent out to serial infringers until early 2013.
While in the UK, there are plans to introduce a letter-writing campaign next year, so in the meantime, copyright owners are seeking court orders to force ISPs to block sites.