Microsoft has taken private action against a UK software pirate after he continued selling counterfeit software, despite receiving a criminal conviction for the same offence.

William Ling, owner of Oyster Computers, was arrested by the Met in February 2003 after his premises in New Malden were raided following an anonymous tip-off. He was charged with various trademark offences and in May 2005 he pleaded guilty and was fined £10,000.

But within two months he was back trading dodgy software, so Microsoft launched a civil damages case for £12m - the amount of revenue it claims Ling has done them out of.

Ling settled out of court, paid Microsoft "substantial" damages, and has agreed to stop selling counterfeit software. His previous business brought in £3.5m in five years of trading.

Microsoft aims to cut software piracy for Windows XP from 11.7 per cent to five per cent, as measured by Windows Genuine Advantage.®

Related stories

• Microsoft fires cannon at counterfeiters (2 November 2007)
• Microsoft claims more pirate scalps (15 October 2007)
• Gorbachev tells Gates to leave the pirates alone (6 February 2007)
• Microsoft goes for eBay pirates (31 October 2006)
• Software pirate gets seven years (11 September 2006)
• Florida pirate banged up for six years (29 August 2006)
• Investors' hopes rise as Microsoft's Q4 profit falls (20 July 2006)
• Microsoft keelhauls 26 pirates (18 July 2006)
• Microsoft product phones home every day (8 June 2006)
• Software developer boxes pirate senseless (27 March 2006)
• In brief Microsoft hunts pirate auctioneers (16 March 2006)
• Microsoft reveals piracy battle plan for the UK (20 February 2006)
• Microsoft targets pirate partners (20 December 2005)
• Microsoft tackles pirate software firm (9 December 2005)
• Letters Software piracy: BSA walks the plank (9 December 2005)
• eBay UK takes down pirate software sales (6 December 2005)
• E-tailer unwittingly sold counterfeit software (1 December 2005)
• MS sues eight US resellers over hookie software (20 September 2005)