Schoolboy makes pirate PC games and flogs them in playground

An 11-year-old who masterminded a computer game bootlegging operation from his bedroom has been brought to book. The schoolboy from Sunderland produced some £10,000 worth of pirate PC games from his bedroom at his parents’ home and flogged them in the school playground.

The European Leisure Software Publishers’ Association (ELSPA) were alerted after large quantities began appearing at a Sunderland school, and they followed the trail back to the boy’s house. The boy was producing the games on his new PC and CD writer, unbeknown to his parents.

Although it’s by no means the biggest bust (ELSPA have smashed rings worth up to £1m), this is certainly the largest operation run single-handedly by someone so young. Director General of ELSPA Roger Bennett told the BBC: “His father was extremely upset to find that an illegal and criminal activity was going on upstairs. I think his reaction rather ensured the boy won’t be doing again, at least not under that roof.”