TECH info brand Autodata's fight to eradicate rogue traders took another step last month after Staffordshire Magistrates Court convicted a man of infringing the Trademarks Act 1994.

Mario Langton, from Stafford, received a fine and the seizure of all copies of bogus software in his possession and his laptop computer.

Langton, posing as a legitimate tools salesman, approached workshops directly in an attempt to sell out-of-date, pirated information.

Several garages reported his activities to Autodata, which then worked alongside the Police and Staffordshire Trading Standards to bring Langton to justice.

Langton's home was raided and a number of counterfeit items, including illegal copies of Autodata products, were seized.

Over a 12-month period, Autodata received several reports of Langton's approaches via its dedicated, confidential email and phone service. The Company receives intelligence on a daily basis from customers and the public alike, helping to build a picture of exactly where illegal activities are taking place.

Rod Williams, Chief Executive of Autodata said, "Repairs carried out using counterfeit information can be dangerous, which is why we are targeting not only the sellers but also those who purchase and use counterfeit software in their workshops."

"Our advice is to never purchase counterfeit software. Anybody found to be using fake technical information hold themselves open to being dealt with in the same way as illegal sellers"  he concluded.