By RASBERT TURNER, Star WriterSPANISH TOWN: TWO ST. CATHERINE men caught with several DVDs were fined a total of $550,000 in the Spanish Town RM Court recently. They are Dresdale Harris, 25, a labourer from De la Vega City and 43-year-old security guard Donovan Williams from Spanish Town, both in St. Catherine.
The court learnt that at about noon on July 30, this year, the Spanish Town police conducted a raid at a shop along Burke road where Williams was found selling DVDs with popular movie titles. He was arrested and charged.
On August 25, at about 7:30 p.m., Harris was seen at the St. Jago Plaza shouting that he had DVDs selling. A bag he was carrying was searched and 10 DVDs with titles such as Shark's Tale, Wedding Crasher, Rebound, Bongo Man, Hustle and Flow, among others were found. He too was arrested. They were charged with breaches of the Copyright Act.
When both men appeared before RM Carol Edwards in court last Thursday, they pleaded guilty. Williams was fined $300,000 or three months hard labour and Harris was fined $250,000 or three months hard labour.
They both asked the RM for time to pay the money. This was denied and the RM told the men that breaching the Copyright Act is very serious offence and a message must be sent. They were not represented when they appeared in court.