Industry watchdog Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has initiated investigations into a complaint against leading law firm Davenport Lyons, which has been accused of bullying and harassing hundreds of alleged file-sharers.

According to a Guardian report, the alleged file-shares - represented by the consumer group 'Which?' - said in their 2008-filed complaint that the London-based Davenport Lyons had sent them threatening letters randomly, accusing them of illegally downloading copyrighted media content; and demanding payment for the illegal downloads.

Which? further elaborated that the letters from the solicitors' firm threatened legal action against the supposed file-shares, in case they refused to make immediate payments, running into several hundred pounds. Terming the letters as "excessive," the consumer group said there was little evidence to substantiate the alleged wrongdoing.

The Guardian report also said that Davenport Lyons accused a 60-plus couple of illegally downloading a pornographic film, even though they are not familiar with the content-downloading mechanism; while a BBC report said that most of the perturbing accusations had left people feeling "upset, scared and angry."

Expressing satisfaction at the somewhat-delayed investigation by the SRA, Deborah Prince, the head of legal affairs at Which?, said: "We are pleased to see some action at last from the SRA and hope the tide is finally turning in favour of consumers. We now want to see some decisive action to stop these bully-boy tactics."