Microsoft sues county man over pirate sales
SOFTWARE giant Microsoft is suing a West Lothian businessman convicted of selling pirate versions of its software on eBay.
The company is seeking more than 180,000 in damages from Iqbal Ahmed after he admitted five charges of peddling counterfeit goods on the internet auction site.
Ahmed, 31, of Inch Wood Avenue in Bathgate, also faces being ordered to reveal the names of those who supplied him with the fake software.
Ahmed was fined 19,500 under the Proceeds of Crime Act last March after pleading guilty at Linlithgow Sheriff Court.
Ahmed, who was also sentenced to 160 hours of community service, has since paid the fine but his lawyers are now fighting Microsoft's action.
The case followed a tip-off from customs officers and involved a joint operation by West Lothian Council Trading Standards, Lothian and Borders Police, Central Scotland Police, Microsoft and Epson.
The firm is seeking 79,000 from lost royalties on 443 counterfeit products sold by him on eBay. The rest of the damages claim comes from lost royalties on the fake goods found at Ahmed's home and business, and from 18,229 profits found in his internet payment company account.
The company also wants the court to order Ahmed to disclose the name and address of "each producer, manufacturer, distributor or supplier" of the fake goods.
Ahmed's lawyers are fighting the action by arguing that Microsoft "did not suffer loss and damage as a result of any infringement of their trademark", and that the amount of damages was not "reasonable estimates of any loss".
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Tuesday 07 February 2012
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