Man who 'ran pirate music site received £190,000 in donations from downloaders'

A man who ran an illegal 'pirate' music site which allowed 21 million downloads had almost £190,000 in his accounts when police raided his home, a jury heard today.

Alan Ellis founded the Oink website, which had around 200,000 members when it was shut down in 2007.

The 26-year-old, of Grange Road, Middlesbrough, denies conspiracy to defraud.

Peter Makepeace, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court: 'This is not about prosecuting some poor minnow who has taped a record one night and circulated it to their friends.

'This is about large scale, professional, clever, technical ripping off.' More...

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