1st Canadian Convicted under new movie Pirating Law

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[jonluc]

A Calgary man is believed to be the first person convicted in Canada under new movie pirating legislation when he pleaded guilty to the unauthorized recording of the Johnny Depp movie Sweeney Todd.

Richard Lissaman was arrested in a northeast Calgary theatre last Dec. 21 making an illegal copy of the movie.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty on Friday, was fined $1,495 and banned from movie cinemas for a year.

Other stipulations for his one-year probation include being banned from purchasing, owning or possessing any video recording equipment, including one on a cellphone.

"We would have liked to see jail ... however, this is a good start," said Virginia Jones of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association.

Jones said she hopes the conviction will deter others from creating bootleg copies of movies.

Mark Christiansen of Paramount Pictures in Hollywood flew to Calgary to read a victim impact statement at the sentencing.

He remarked that there are about 10 people at any one time in the world using camcorders to illegally record movies.

"You can say he and his pals will watch the movie, but he has an item that is more supportive of taking something to be used to make a profit," said provincial court Judge Catherine Skene in her ruling.

"It's not a simple theft of an item for personal consumption."

I would have convicted him for bad taste

[Neoandrew1]

WOW THAT SUCKS, for him anyway

[Kosh GTO]

i thought he was going to Jail.Because Canadian Prison are sweet
it's like a condo type living

[Valkyrie]

Hmmmm don't know if I'd want to go to any jail, tbh.  

And how many Americans are in jail for the same offence?