24-year-old Richard O'Dwyer's ordeal under a long standing threat of extradition to the USA is over. He was wanted by the US for alleged copyright infringments by way of his online website TV Shack. This site directed people to places online where copies of music and film could be made. As a go between service was he infringing copyright laws? Well it seems the US authorities believed that he was.
For Richard, helped all the way by his Mum Julia, it has been a long fought battle. Petitions offering support and legal challenges prevented a quick extradition to the USA. Richard and his Mum argued that he had at the time of the alleged offences committed no crime in the UK. They also wanted him to be tried if a trial was necessary in his home country the UK. After all he had never set a foot in the US.
The internet makes such cases difficult to resolve easily and of course more frequent.
In the end as we reported around a week ago a deal was brokered. Richard flew to the US and Thursday December 6, 2012 justice was served in less than five minutes in court. Richard "signed an agreement in a New York court to avoid prosecution and a potential 10-year jail term for breaking copyright laws with the file-sharing website he set up as a teenager." A long two year struggle ended. He will pay a £20,000 fine. This money will be used to compensate the "victims" of TV Shack.
Richard created TV Shack in 2007 as a young man. Eventually when its activities came to the attention of US authorities it was closed down. Speaking outside the court following yesterday's hearing Richard accused the British government, and in particular Home Secretary Theresa May, of offering little if no support.
Richard's case has been high profile in the UK. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales lauched an online campaign in June and many people offered support for Richard. In the end perhaps for once the power of the people won through.
Richard and Julia will be home in the UK and for the first time in two years be able to get on with their lives.
For Richard, helped all the way by his Mum Julia, it has been a long fought battle. Petitions offering support and legal challenges prevented a quick extradition to the USA. Richard and his Mum argued that he had at the time of the alleged offences committed no crime in the UK. They also wanted him to be tried if a trial was necessary in his home country the UK. After all he had never set a foot in the US.
The internet makes such cases difficult to resolve easily and of course more frequent.
In the end as we reported around a week ago a deal was brokered. Richard flew to the US and Thursday December 6, 2012 justice was served in less than five minutes in court. Richard "signed an agreement in a New York court to avoid prosecution and a potential 10-year jail term for breaking copyright laws with the file-sharing website he set up as a teenager." A long two year struggle ended. He will pay a £20,000 fine. This money will be used to compensate the "victims" of TV Shack.
Richard created TV Shack in 2007 as a young man. Eventually when its activities came to the attention of US authorities it was closed down. Speaking outside the court following yesterday's hearing Richard accused the British government, and in particular Home Secretary Theresa May, of offering little if no support.
Richard's case has been high profile in the UK. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales lauched an online campaign in June and many people offered support for Richard. In the end perhaps for once the power of the people won through.
Richard and Julia will be home in the UK and for the first time in two years be able to get on with their lives.
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