More time for music share inquiry

Police raided the flat as part of an Interpol-led inquiry

A Middlesbrough man arrested in connection with a "widely-used" source of illegally-downloaded music has had his bail extended for the fourth time.

The 24-year-old's flat was raided in October as part of an inquiry into the OiNK website, where pre-release music was shared, according to police.

He is suspected of conspiracy to defraud and infringement of copyright.

A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service said inquiries were continuing in the "highly-complex" case.

The IT worker was arrested as part of an Interpol-led investigation, involving music industry bodies the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

Documents and equipment were seized from the flat on Grange Road, as well as from his father's home in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, and his employer - a large multi-national company based on Teesside.

Raids were also carried out in Amsterdam, where the website's servers were based.

OiNK was subsequently closed down by police.

Six other people have been arrested as part of Cleveland Police's operation Ark Royal.

Of those, four have been bailed pending further inquiries while two - a man aged 19 and a 28-year-old woman - will face no further charges.