Letterkenny Courthouse.
A DISTRICT judge has said artists are being cheated by people selling pirated CDs at markets.
Judge Paul Kelly made the comment at this morning’s sitting of Letterkenny District Court where a Lifford man appeared charged with copying of a work.
Damien Killackey (42) of Croaghan Heights was caught by gardai on two occasions.
In the first incident he was stopped entering a community centre on Coneyburrow Road, Lifford on October 20, 2013. He had 349 counterfeit CDs featuring a total of 64 music titles in his possession.
In the second incident, only two months later, Killackey was observed making a transaction in the community centre on December 8. This time the defendant at 600 CDs and DVDs on him.
Judge Kelly said that this was a very serious offence. “It’s a huge issue we read about regularly. Artists, often young struggling artists, are losing vast amounts of money and are being cheated by people who produce and sell pirated records.
“Only two months after being caught the first time, he was out again. He was totally unrepentant. This is a very serious offence which carries a twelve month sentence for each charge, why should he not go to jail?”
Solicitor, Mr Kieran O’Gorman told the court that his client was the man at the end of the line and was taking the full blame.
Judge Kelly said: “He was selling pirated material at the time of being unemployed. He seems to be taking this very lightly.”
Killackey has been referred to the Probation Service.
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