In an ongoing legal battle Lucasfilm Ltd. and a British prop maker both claimed victory in a London court.
High Judge Anthony Mann ruled that prop maker Andrew Ainsworth, who first sculpted helmets for the Stormtroopers (Star Wars1977), had infringed copyright by selling replicas via the internet.
Mann also ruled to not enforce the previous judgment levied against the Brit sculptor in a California court in 2006.
The judge ruled Ainsworth’s U.S. sales, ($50,000 to $60,000), were not significant enough to warrant U.S. jurisdiction.
However, Mann also rejected Ainsworth’s countersuit that the copyright rested with him.
It is believed the counter-claim sought a piece of the merchandising pie from the Star Wars films, which his lawyers estimated at $24 billion.
