Pirate site student pays US £20,000

Richard O'Dwyer avoided extradition and conviction
by signing a Deferred Prosecution Agreement

A student who ran a website where users could stream pirated films has "avoided a conviction" after paying £20,000 to US authorities, his lawyer said.

Richard O'Dwyer, from Sheffield, ran the TVShack website hosting links to pirated films and TV programmes.

But after a court hearing in New York, the 24-year-old avoided extradition and conviction by signing a Deferred Prosecution Agreement.

As a result he paid £20,000 to the authorities, representing the profits he made from TVShack between December 2007 and November 2009. The money will be distributed among victims whose copyrights were infringed by TVShack.

Mr O'Dwyer's lawyer, Ben Cooper, said it was "a first" in extradition cases.

Mr Cooper, of Doughty Street Chambers, said: "Richard O'Dwyer is very happy to put this behind him. He has avoided extradition and will avoid a conviction.

"The solution reached is pragmatic and allows Richard to finish his final year at university and get on with his studies at a crucial time in his life. We are grateful that the US recognised it was in everyone's interests to find a practical solution. So far as we know this is a first in extradition cases - and a sensible solution for UK defendants faced with an ever-growing extra-territorial reach of US prosecutions.

- belfasttelegraph.co.uk