In a surprise court ruling, a judge has decided that Pacific Internet (PacNet) does not have to reveal names of subscribers who allegedly downloaded pirated versions of the Japanese cartoons.

Anime distributor Odex has been demanding the names of up to 1,000 PacNet downloaders.

No details about the latest ruling were made public.

The Straits Times today reported that PacNet would only say it "respects the rights of intellectual property owners and at the same time, also believes in protecting the privacy of all our subscribers".

Odex has 14 days to lodge an appeal. A company spokesman said it will likely seek this course of action.

This latest ruling has raised eyebrows because two other Internet service providers (ISP) - SingNet and StarHub - were earlier ordered to give up the names of their subscribers accused of similar violations.

Each ruling was given by a different judge.

A StarHub spokesman said that it was "assessing our options...given the different decisions rendered by the court."
However, the deadline for appeal has lapsed for SingNet.

The Straits Times said that District Judge Ernest Lau's decision was based on the fact that he believed Odex was not the right party to make the application.

However, in perhaps a more ominous note for anime downloaders out there, the judge also warned that the right to privacy was no defence for copyright infringement.

Many saw red over Odex's moves to clamp down on downloaders by making them pay. The company justified its demand of payments - which many see as exorbitant - by explaining that these are to cover the expenses of enforcing copyright.

Odex is the distributor of popular anime like Gundam and Inuyasha here.

Its campaign against downloaders in May was Singapore's largest reported crackdown on illegal downloads.

The whole episode started when Odex sent letters to 17 SingNet users accusing them of illegally downloading anime and demanding a settlement of between $3,000 and $5,000.

A court order against StarHub to disclose names of its users followed earlier this month.

Understandably, Odex company director Stephen Sing is the man in the hot seat, and branded by Netizens as the "most hated man in Singapore's anime community".

He is the victim of probably the most vicious online attack here, and has received death and assault threats, including one warning to set his house on fire.

Mr Sing says he has no regrets over the crackdown on pirated anime online, and has reported to police on the the harassment against him.