Ms Price said the BPI should have warned her daughter first

Emily Price, 14, from Cheltenham, was accused of file-sharing - opening up her computer for others to share her downloaded music.

Her mother Sylvia, 53, said she made a settlement offer because she could not afford to fight the case in court.

A spokesman for the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) confirmed an offer had been made.

When file-sharing, people download software from the web which allows them access to a network and puts people in touch with one another. Files are then swapped across the net.

Messaging systems

Emily was one of 88 people targeted by the BPI and anyone can contest their case in a civil action, or settle their fine.

But Ms Price said she did not have the money to contest the case.

"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.

The BPI spokesman said people sharing music illegally had been initially contacted through messaging systems on file-sharing networks.

"We genuinely feel sorry for parents who are caught up (in this) because their children have been file sharing illegally," he said.

Of the 88 people targeted by the BPI, around 60 have now been settled, the spokesman added.