Leicestershire man admits uploading music to illegal forum

A prolific music uploader has admitted distributing thousands of files to an illegal website.

Richard Graham, from Leicestershire, shared new and pre-release tracks on an online forum called Dancing Jesus.

He'd originally entered a not guilty plea at Newcastle Crown Court, but changed it to guilty this week.

The owner of the site, Kane Robinson from South Shields, has admitted to illegally distributing music.

Dancing Jesus allowed members to post tens of thousands of illegal links to music, usually before it was officially released.

Both men were caught after the British Phonographic Society (BPI) started investigating the site with police in London as well as the US Department of Homeland Security.

The BPI represents the UK's recorded music industry and the director of its copyright protection unit David Wood said: "This case is significant.

"The guilty verdict confirms that posting illegal online links to music is a criminal offence.

"Pre-release piracy, in particular, robs musicians of artistic control, leaving them with no say in when and how their music - which has taken blood, sweat and tears to produce - is released."

More than 8,000 pre-release tracks had been leaked on the site.

Both men will be sentenced on 10 November.

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