Firms faked MS software

Dealers in the dock over counterfeit product.

Two UK channel companies have been convicted of handling counterfeit Microsoft software.

A jury at Harrow Crown Court found Paramjit Kaur Kanwal, director of reseller UK Computer Distributors, guilty of supplying counterfeit software including Windows 98, Windows NT and Office 97 Professional Edition. Jasbir Singh Uppal, company secretary, was also convicted.

Uppal, who also worked as an accounts executive for a security firm, used his company car to make deliveries for UK Computer Distributors.

Also charged was Christopher Bottley, who pleaded guilty to supplying counterfeit copies of Windows 98 under the name of Babbage Computing to an unnamed Bristol-based reseller.

In each case the judge postponed sentencing until reports on the defendants have been obtained. Julia Phillpot, anti-piracy manager at Microsoft, said: "We encourage resellers to purchase their software from reputable sources."