Conviction of fishing vessel skipper involved in collision
The skipper of a UK-registered fishing vessel has been prosecuted by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) after it was involved in a collision with another fishing vessel in the English Channel last year.
Craig Robert Petre, 31, of Distington near Workington, who pleaded guilty to three offences in November, yesterday (Monday 13th January) appeared before Hull Crown Court Judge Watson and was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment, with a suspended sentence of 18 months.
The actions of Mr Petre, who was found guilty of failing to take action to avoid a collision; failing to transmit an automatic identification system (AIS) whilst at sea; and acting as skipper when not qualified to do so, showed “high culpability”, according to Judge Watson.
He was also ordered to pay £4,500 towards the cost of legal fees.
In a statement, the MCA said: “The UK fishing industry has the highest proportion of deaths and serious injury of any industry within the UK.
“The MCA is working with stakeholders to change that. Many events involving casualties on fishing vessels are a result of compliance failure, neglect and flagrant disregard for the law. This is completely unacceptable and those fishermen and owners who put lives at risk will be prosecuted. The MCA continues to work with the fishing industry to improve safety, and those unwilling to embrace this and improve standards will face the full weight of the law.”
On 5th July 2019, Petre was skipper and at the helm of the 27-metre ‘Philomena’ [now renamed the Camm Courageous] when it was involved in a near head-on collision with a Guernsey-registered vessel in very good sailing conditions.
At the time of the incident, the Philomena was not transmitting an AIS signal and Petre was not qualified to serve as skipper. The vessel sustained significant damage and was later holed, however the collision took place above the waterline.
The vessel made its way to Falmouth in Cornwall following the incident but Petre did not alert the coastguard as to what happened nor reference his intended destination after the vessel sustained substantial damage.
Craig Robert Petre, 31, of Distington near Workington, who pleaded guilty to three offences in November, yesterday (Monday 13th January) appeared before Hull Crown Court Judge Watson and was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment, with a suspended sentence of 18 months.
The actions of Mr Petre, who was found guilty of failing to take action to avoid a collision; failing to transmit an automatic identification system (AIS) whilst at sea; and acting as skipper when not qualified to do so, showed “high culpability”, according to Judge Watson.
He was also ordered to pay £4,500 towards the cost of legal fees.
In a statement, the MCA said: “The UK fishing industry has the highest proportion of deaths and serious injury of any industry within the UK.
“The MCA is working with stakeholders to change that. Many events involving casualties on fishing vessels are a result of compliance failure, neglect and flagrant disregard for the law. This is completely unacceptable and those fishermen and owners who put lives at risk will be prosecuted. The MCA continues to work with the fishing industry to improve safety, and those unwilling to embrace this and improve standards will face the full weight of the law.”
On 5th July 2019, Petre was skipper and at the helm of the 27-metre ‘Philomena’ [now renamed the Camm Courageous] when it was involved in a near head-on collision with a Guernsey-registered vessel in very good sailing conditions.
At the time of the incident, the Philomena was not transmitting an AIS signal and Petre was not qualified to serve as skipper. The vessel sustained significant damage and was later holed, however the collision took place above the waterline.
The vessel made its way to Falmouth in Cornwall following the incident but Petre did not alert the coastguard as to what happened nor reference his intended destination after the vessel sustained substantial damage.
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