Tashieka Mair, Star Writer

western bureau

As the Montego Bay police continue to clamp down on persons who sell bootleg CDs and DVDs, another man was brought before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court for breaches of the copy rights act.

He is 31-year-old barber, Mark McCreef, of Irwin, St. James. He was charged with 10 counts to which he pleaded guilty when the case came before the court on Friday.

He was fined $5,000 or 30 days on each count. If the fines are not paid the sentences will run concurrently.

McCreef, was arrested and charged on May 27 after the police saw him on St. James Street with several bootleg DVDs displayed on the top of a barrel. He denied that the items were his but confessed later after the police recovered more than 200 other copies of DVDs from his car.

Profitable excuse

The father of five explained to the court that his job as a barber was not as profitable. He said he wanted to make some money so he could pay the fees for one of his children who had passed exams to attend a prominent high school.

"You'll have to go back to your barbering sir," RM Winsome Henry said before handing down the sentence.

The accused, who said he could only pay half of the fines at the time, was given two weeks to complete payment.

An order was also made that the items seized be forfeited.