Hunter became the hunted.
Notorious pirate-hunting law firm ACS:Law has finally gone out of business and its client MediaCAT has too, according to reports.
No exact reason has been given for the closure of ACS:Law, known for hunting suspected file sharers, but it has been criticised by O2 and music industry body BPI, ITPro reported.
A judge presiding over the bizarre court case aiming to work out how cases brought by the firm against alleged file-sharers should be handled going-forward, previously described ACS:Law's actions as ‘remarkable' and ‘unprecedented' after the firm's founder Andrew Crossley failed to appear in court.
Since then, Crossley has ceased his work, which he announced in a statement read to the court by his client MediaCAT's barrister Tim Ludbrook as reported by the Beeb. It read: "I have ceased my work...I have been subject to criminal attack. My e-mails have been hacked. I have had death threats and bomb threats. It has caused immense hassle to me and my family."
And now it has been reported that ACS:Law has shut up shop as well as MediaCAT, which had sent out letters to alleged illegal filesharers.
MediaCAT has apparently signed a bunch of contracts with copyright owners, letting it pursue illegal file-sharers on their behalf, the Beeb reported.
The firm is believed to have worked with ACS:Law in sending threatening letters demanding that people identified as downloading material without paying for it either pay a one-off fine or face being taken to court- and it has been reported that ACS:Law kept 65 percent of the recouped spoils, leaving the copyright owners with 30 percent.
MediaCAT has been deeply involved with the courtroom shenanigans and tried to drop the 27 cases brought to court almost immediately and the firm's move was questioned by Judge Birss.
He reportedly said: "I want to tell you that I am not happy. I am getting the impression with every twist and turn since I started looking at these cases that there is a desire to avoid any judicial scrutiny."
Judge Birss will reportedly decide in court tomorrow whether ACS:Law will have to pick up the legal tab.
Deborah Prince, head of legal affairs at Which? told the Beeb: "Whilst MediaCAT is the plaintiff, there were rumblings in the court to suggest that ACS: Law was so closely involved in receiving money, that the judge may be made to make a cost order against ACS: Law."
The solicitor of some of the defendants has also apparently signalled that they might sue Crossley for harassment.
