The Glostershire Echo wrote:A Computer engineer from Cheltenham has been arrested in connection with a huge Pirate movie racket.IT boffin David Rock was arrested by police at his home Hester's Way in a dawn raid.
The 26-year-old was targeted in a major investigation to clampdown on pirate movie websites.
Hollywood executives at Disney and Warner Brothers had alerted the Federation Against Copyright Theft claiming they were losing hundreds of millions of pounds.
Mr Rock's home was searched and his computer equipment confiscated.
He was quizzed in connection with a website called TV Links which provided links to illegal versions of major Hollywood hits and TV shows.
The 26-year-old says his online activities were just a hobby and he doesn't think he was breaking the law.
"I'm not some master criminal," said Mr Rock, who lives with his girlfriend. "It was just a hobby."
Paul Archer, acting director general of the Industry Trust for Intellectual Property Awareness, said: "This is a widespread problem that's costing the film and TV industry in the UK almost £460 million a year.
"That loss has an impact on all legitimate retailers, including shops and cinemas which lose out as well actors who miss out on royalties.
"With the internet now a major source of illegal copies, it's no longer just about dodgy DVD dealers at car boot sales. "The challenge is much wider than that if we're to safeguard the future of British businesses."
Mr Rock said he had no idea he was committing any offence.
"I've looked into the law and can't see what I've done wrong," he said. "If I thought I was committing a crime I would never have done it.
"I'm worried about what's going to happen, I'm not some master criminal."
Mr Rock was arrested last Thursday under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, Trade Marks Act 1994 and Video Recordings Act 1993. He was released on bail and has not been charged. Roger Marles, head of Gloucestershire Trading Standards, said TV Links (tv-links.co.uk) was illegal under UK copyright law.
"The 'users' are potentially evading licence fees, subscription fees to digital services or the cost of purchase or admittance to cinemas to view the film," he said.
"No physical product changes hands but the effect is the same, anyone has the opportunity to view an illegal copy of a copyrighted work.
"This is all done without the permission of the owners of the copyright or trade mark protection in the works being distributed.
"As no control is exerted over who can visit the site and access the service, there is no regard for the age of the viewer and therefore no control of the content of what is viewed."
The investigation began in April when several Hollywood studios contacted Fact because unreleased footage of blockbuster films, including Pirates of the Caribbean 3, with Johnny Depp, and Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer, with Ioan Gruffudd, were being viewed in the UK, costing them millions of pounds.
Visitors to TV Links could search the website for links to sites showing the latest films or TV programmes. The content had often been recorded by cam-corder.
Fact's internet investigation team trawled through links and communication, found Rock's address and contacted Gloucestershire police and trading standards. Fact director general Kieron Sharp said: "The theft and distribution of films harms the livelihoods of those working in the UK film industry and in ancillary industries, as well as damaging the economy.
"In addition, those visiting sites hosting illegal content run the risk of downloading Trojans or viruses that can infect their computers."
However, Kim Walker, head of intellectual property at law firm Pinsent Masons said it was not clear how the provision of links could be prosecuted as a criminal offence.
"We don't have an offence in the UK for facilitation of copyright infringement," he said.
Copyright Offences carry a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment and unlimited fines.
Trading Standards says it is now investigating.
Now This isnt the excat Story form the paper but the paper said they guy lived in hesters way (Thats where i live) i coulda gone to this guys house and gave him a pat on the back if TV links was still running lawl.
