Harry Potter publisher blasts plagiarism claims over Goblet Of Fire

LONDON - Publisher of the Harry Potter books has blasted claims that author JK Rowling copied another writer while inking the fourth instalment of the series.

Bloomsbury Publishing has thwarted allegations made by the estate of children’s writer Adrian Jacobs, who passed away in 1997, in a legal action over alleged copyright infringement.

The company said the plagiarism claims over Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, published in 2000, were “unfounded, unsubstantiated and untrue”.

“This claim is without merit and will be defended vigorously,” Sky News quoted them as saying in a statement.

Jacobs’ estate alleged Rowling copied “substantial parts” of The Adventures Of Willy The Wizard - No 1 Livid Land, which was penned by in 1987.

It was claimed elements of the plot were also copied, including a wizard competition, and the idea of wizards travelling on trains was borrowed.

But Bloomsbury publisher said Rowling had never heard of Jacobs nor seen, read or heard of his book until nearly seven years after the first Potter book was published.

The publisher said: “Willy the Wizard is a very insubstantial booklet running to 36 pages which had very limited distribution.

“The central character of Willy the Wizard is not a young wizard and the book does not revolve around a wizard school.” (ANI)