Geldof Thwarts 'Live Aid Pirate'

["Scott Schrade" <schrade@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Geldof thwarts 'Live Aid pirate'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3530269.stm

By Ian Youngs
BBC News Online entertainment staff

Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof has led police to a suspected music pirate
who is accused of selling DVDs of the 1985 charity concert over the internet.

Police arrested a man in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, in a raid last week. The
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) said a 10-DVD set was on sale for #110.

BPI director of anti-piracy Dave Martin said Geldof was "really sickened"
to find the DVDs being sold.

The man was arrested and bailed without charge pending further enquiries.

Geldof spotted the DVDs on sale at the end of last year and told his lawyers
to alert authorities, who launched an investigation.

Police and BPI investigators tracked down the site to Skelmersdale and
carried out the raid on Thursday.

A PC and a small quantity of Live Aid DVDs were recovered. Discs of
other concerts by bands like Pink Floyd and U2 were also found.

Geldof was not involved after the initial tip-off, Mr Martin told BBC News
Online.

"Once somebody make a complaint, they take a step backwards and leave
it to the authorities," he said.

"But I think he felt really sickened by the fact that somebody was making
money from these DVDs that should have been going to charity."

Live Aid was one of the most momentous music events in recent history,
taking place in London and Philadelphia and featuring stars including U2,
Queen and Madonna.

It was prompted by a global outrage at the famine in Ethiopia, and raised
money to help the starving.

Mr Martin said pirates often kept small stocks of discs in case they were
discovered - and only made new copies when required.

The computer's hard disc would now be examined to get an idea of how
many copies were sold, he added.
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- SCHRADE in Akron

The Council For Secular Humanism
http://www.secularhumanism.org/