A music and film pirate who ran one of the UK’s largest ‘domestic factories’ to illegally copy files has been jailed for 18 months.

Keith Tamkin, 52, of Broomcroft Road, Felpham, used his technical skills to distribute pirated music, films and software on a “commercial scale”, investigators said.

He had more than 100 full computer hard drives, 150,000 CDs and DVDs and eight ‘burning towers' to illegally copy films, music and software.

A catalogue of 25,000 titles distributed to an extensive client list was also seized.

The material took anti-piracy investigators from trade body the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) a whole year to examine.

Tamkin pleaded guilty to infringing copyright, laundering £140,000, transferring criminal property and possession of pepper spray and a stun gun.

He was imprisoned at Chichester Crown Court yesterday.

Police and BPI investigators executed search warrants at two addresses in Bognor on November 15, 2011.

Tamkin was arrested in a flat |over a shop in Bognor High |Street.

His home was also searched on suspicion of copyright infringement and money laundering.

David Wood, director of anti-piracy for the BPI, said: “This case was significant in that it was one of the largest ‘domestic factories’ uncovered to date in the UK.

“It had the capability of manufacturing and distributing counterfeit products on a truly commercial scale.

“I would like to thank Sussex Police for co-ordinating efforts to disrupt this prolific production of counterfeit music, film and game repertoire.”

Detective Inspector Chris Neilson of the Sussex Police Economic Crime Unit said: “Detectives and Financial Investigators from our Unit worked closely with the BPI and were able to establish Tamkin’s full role in this case.

“Intellectual Property (IP) crime and associated offences of money laundering will be pursued by Sussex Police in a co-ordinated way with partners involved in tackling IP Crime, including the Intellectual Property Office, in order to disrupt this type of criminality.

“We will now be seeking a court confiscation order against Tamkin under the Proceeds of Crime Act to take back for society his criminal profits.”