Brain behind Xbox racket told to return £12k
A supermarket worker has been ordered by a judge to pay back around £12,000 of gains made from an illegal computer games racket or face eight months in jail.
Jemmane McDonald, 25, was the brains behind a £40,000 operation modifying Xbox consoles to play pirated games. McDonald had already been sentenced to serve 180 hours unpaid work at Wolverhampton Crown Court earlier this year. Sandwell Council brought McDonald back before the courts yesterday to face a proceeds of crime hearing.
The court had previously heard how McDonald, who lives with his elderly mother in Clent View in Smethwick and works at Asda in Cape Hill, advertised his services through a website called www.monsterbackups.com for a period of just over 20 months, from May 2008 to March 2010.
Judge John Maxwell said the final benefit calculated to McDonald from his operation totalled £42,231.79 following investigations.
He told McDonald to pay back £12,223.90 within six months to avoid being sent to prison.
He said: "I declare that the benefit from your crime is £42,231.79 and if you come into any more money later in your life, then any extra sums can become valid." Mr Mark Jackson, prosecuting for Sandwell Council, said investigations had found McDonald had a car worth £7,700 and money in a bank account which could be made subject of the order for compensation.
His operation was discovered after a trading standards officer posing as a customer paid him £30 to modify an Xbox and £20 for five pirated games.
McDonald pleaded guilty to 28 counterfeiting offences.
