Nominet tackles ‘Domain Registry Services’ over bogus invoices
Nominet UK, the .uk domain name registry, has obtained injunctions and orders from the High Court against Peter Francis-Macrae and Ultra Technologies Ltd, a company of which Mr Francis-Macrae is the sole director.
The injunctions prevent either defendant from (a) causing any damage to Nominet’s computer systems, (b) harassing Nominet staff, (c) using the .uk WHOIS database, or (d) sending any documents in the format of the ‘Domain Registry Services’ notices circulating earlier this year. The defendants were further ordered to provide Nominet with a list of names and addresses of those to whom they may have sent the bogus invoice letters and to cover the costs incurred by Nominet in rectifying these actions.
Nominet’s case alleges that the defendants have misused Nominet’s intellectual property rights in its WHOIS service and, by sending bogus ‘Domain Expiration Notices’ to .uk registrants under the name of Domain Registry Services, have falsely passed themselves off as having some form of official relationship with Nominet. A date for the full hearing of this case, when these interim orders would expire, has not been set. Nominet will also continue to assist the police with their investigations into Domain Registry Services.
At present, there is a ‘no bail’ warrant for the arrest of Mr Francis-Macrae for non-appearance at Huntingdon Magistrates court. He is currently charged
with:
1. Two counts of making threats to kill contrary to s.16 of the
Offences Against the Person Act 1861
2. Causing a public nuisance contrary to common law
3. Sending a grossly offensive message via a public
communications system contrary to s.43(1)(a) of the Telecommunications Act
1984
4. Persistently making use of a public telecommunications
system for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to another contrary to s.43(1)(b) of the Telecommunications Act 1984
5. Threatening to burn the offices of a trading standards
office without lawful excuse intending that a person would believe that the threat would be carried out contrary to ss.2(a) and 4 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971
At the time of writing, Nominet are not aware that any plea has been entered to these criminal charges and no verdict has been reached by any court.
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