Brisbane man first in Oz jailed for piracy

Priscott convicted on 28 charges

By DON GROVES

SYDNEY-- The risks involved in selling pirated videos in Australia have just been hammered home as a Brisbane man has been sentenced to nine months in prison. He is the first Aussie to be jailed for copyright offenses.

Sydney Grant Priscott was convicted on 28 charges of DVD piracy in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday. "The court has sent a clear message that movie piracy is a serious offense that will not be tolerated," said Adrianne Pecotic, exec director of the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft, which is backed by the Motion Picture Assn. and Village Roadshow.

Priscott imported a substantial quantity of DVDs from Malaysia, falsely declaring to Customs that they were cylindrical tubes and speaker stands.

Australian Federal Police and Customs raided his home last October. He sold the DVDs at a market in suburban Brisbane.

On Tuesday at the Cinema Owners Assn. of Australia confab in Canberra, Attorney General Philip Ruddock will launch the Afact/MPA's antipiracy trailer, which will start screening in Oz cinemas later next week.