Media
The IT consultant arrested for running torrent-tracker website OiNK has stated that he has done nothing wrong.
Alan Ellis, 24, from Teeside, was arrested on Tuesday and his site was closed down. He was held on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and copyright infringement, and is now on police bail pending investigation.
He has now spoken out and said his site, since it only provided links for downloading illegal material, was the same as a search engine.
He said if he is prosecuted it would set a dramatic precedent for the rest of the internet.
"I haven’t done anything wrong," he declared in an interview following his release. "I don’t believe my website breaks the law. They don’t understand how it works."
Ellis, who worked for Virgin Media in Stockton-on-Tees until his arrest, when he was sacked, continued: "People who download music also buy CDs as well. A lot of people download music on the internet to get a taste of it and then later buy the CD.
"But I don’t sell music to people, I just direct them to it. If somebody wants to illegally download music they are going to do it whether my site is there or not.
"If this goes to court it is going to set a huge precedent. It will change the internet as we know it... My site is no different to something like Google.
"If Google directed someone to a site they can illegally download music, they are doing the same as what I have been accused of. I am not making any OiNK users break the law. People don't pay to use the site.”
Legal experts have also questioned how Ellis can be prosecuted under UK law.
Cleveland police, part of the international investigation, has said it is unclear whether those who used the site will be pursued.
Alan Ellis, 24, from Teeside, was arrested on Tuesday and his site was closed down. He was held on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and copyright infringement, and is now on police bail pending investigation.
He has now spoken out and said his site, since it only provided links for downloading illegal material, was the same as a search engine.
He said if he is prosecuted it would set a dramatic precedent for the rest of the internet.
"I haven’t done anything wrong," he declared in an interview following his release. "I don’t believe my website breaks the law. They don’t understand how it works."
Ellis, who worked for Virgin Media in Stockton-on-Tees until his arrest, when he was sacked, continued: "People who download music also buy CDs as well. A lot of people download music on the internet to get a taste of it and then later buy the CD.
"But I don’t sell music to people, I just direct them to it. If somebody wants to illegally download music they are going to do it whether my site is there or not.
"If this goes to court it is going to set a huge precedent. It will change the internet as we know it... My site is no different to something like Google.
"If Google directed someone to a site they can illegally download music, they are doing the same as what I have been accused of. I am not making any OiNK users break the law. People don't pay to use the site.”
Legal experts have also questioned how Ellis can be prosecuted under UK law.
Cleveland police, part of the international investigation, has said it is unclear whether those who used the site will be pursued.
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