Sylvia Price has given up her battle to prevent the record industry imposing a 4,000 fine after her daughter illegally downloaded music from the web. The 53-year-old, who lives in Springbank, Cheltenham, hired a solicitor to fight the case against the British Phonographic Industry but now says she can’t afford to take it through the courts. She has instead made a settlement offer of £2,500. Mrs Price said: "They (the BPI) should have sent something to saying ‘If you keep doing this we will fine you’ – they should have sent a warning first." She said it could take her 10 years to pay off the fine in monthly instalments of around £20.
Her daughter Emily, 14, downloaded 1,400 songs on to her computer over two years.
The teenager said she did not realise that file-sharing was wrong.
The Cheltenham Kingsmead School pupil kept her computer on, allowing other people to download her files.
Mrs Price received a summons from Wiggins Solicitors, which prosecutes internet pirates on behalf of record companies, earlier this year.
It told her she could face jail if she didn’t pay the fine by July 1.
She originally vowed to fight the case and has received messages of support and offers of financial help from across the globe.
A spokesman for the BPI confirmed an offer had been made to settle the dispute.
Emily was one of 88 people targeted by the BPI. All were entitled to contest their case in a civil action, or settle their fine. About 60 have now been settled
