Six charged in music share probe

Six people have been charged in connection with a widely-used source of illegally-downloaded music.

A 25-year-old IT worker from Middlesbrough has been charged with conspiracy to defraud, in an inquiry into the OiNK website, police said.

Five other people have been charged with copyright infringement.

The charges follow an international inquiry into illegal music downloads. The 25-year-old man has been bailed to appear in court later this month.

The IT worker was originally arrested and released on police bail after his home was raided in October 2007.

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

Other arrests were part of Cleveland Police's operation Ark Royal into music industry piracy.

The OiNK site, which had computer servers based in Holland, was closed down by police last year, amid allegations it was used to share pre-release music.