A man has gone to prison for a year and three months, after convictions for crimes related to a collision between his boat, and a much smaller vessel, in the sea near Shoreham last year.
Craig Petre, aged 32, from Workington was sentenced at Hove Crown Court on Tuesday (June 1).
The collision in the English Channel occurred during the morning of April 4, 2020 when the Oliva Jean, a 33metre fishing vessel, skippered by Petre collided with the much smaller (nine metre) Peter Paul II.
The Olivia Jean was travelling at between eight and nine knots (about nine to ten miles-per-hour) at the time of the collision in weather conditions that caused poor visibility.
According to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, heavy steel beams used for fishing were "unnecessarily" down at either side of the Olivia Jean while she was travelling, making the vessel almost 30 metres wide.
One of these beams hit the Peter Paul II, causing damage to the vessel.
An investigation was carried out by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s Regulatory Compliance Investigation Team, who brought Petre to court, for offences under Section 58 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
The offences related to conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals.
Petre pleaded guilty to the offence at a hearing at Lewes Crown Court on January 14.
At the time of this offence, Petre was on a 48-week suspended sentence, to which the judge added an 18-week sentence given for the latest offence.
The sentences are now running consecutively.
Mark Cam, Lead Investigation Officer, from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said:
“Petre failed to heed several important international safety regulations at the time of the collision.
"The Olivia Jean was travelling at an unsafe speed for the weather conditions and Petre failed to maintain a proper lookout for other vessels.
“As a result, serious damage was caused to another vessel and the master of that vessel was also put at risk of serious injury or death.
“These regulations are there to ensure the safety of those at sea and it is unacceptable to breach them.
"We will always investigate and prosecute where necessary those who disregard regulations and put lives at risk.”
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