The reaction by the crew of Padstow crabber Amber Mabel PW-12 when boarded by Cornwall IFCA officers in April last year had resulted in penalties including custodial sentences handed down by Truro Crown Court.
IFCA officers boarded Amber Mabel alongside in Padstow as it returned from a trip to sea, suspecting that there might be berried lobsters in the catch. They were unable to verify this as the skipper and a crewman discarded the catch. The court was shown video evidence of them piushing lobsters out through a freeing port in the vessel’s side.
When IFCA officers were subjected to verbal abuse and threatening behaviour, they withdrew and called the police.
After entering guilty pleas at a previous hearing three men were sentenced at Truro Crown Court.
‘The collective actions and behaviours of the skipper, certain crew members and the maintenance engineer during a routine inspection of a local fishing vessel, were certainly the worst that has ever been experienced by Cornwall IFCA officers. I can only assume that the skipper and crew knew they had illegal lobsters on board and believed that if they prevented them from being inspected, they could avoid an investigation and the potential for legal proceedings. They may not have considered that a conviction for perverting the course of justice or public order offences could lead to a more severe sentence, including imprisonment,’ said Simon Cadman, the Principal Enforcement Officer for Cornwall IFCA.
Skipper Ashley Rescorla pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and received a 15-month immediate custodial sentence. Crewman Andrew Prout pleaded guilty to affray and received a two-month immediate custodial sentence.
Maintenance engineer Garry Ellis was also on board the Amber Mabel to carry out repairs while it was alongside in the harbour. He pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive, or insulting words/behaviour and received a one-month custodial sentence suspended for 12 months.
A teenage crewman who cannot be named for legal reasons also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. During an earlier hearing at Youth Court, he was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £220 costs and surcharge.
‘Cornwall IFCA will not tolerate illegal and unreasonable behaviour that prevents its officers from carrying out their statutory duties. Perpetrators will be investigated and brought to justice for their indefensible conduct. I sincerely hope that our officers are never subjected to such a situation again and that the actions taken by Cornwall IFCA will dissuade any similar offending during inspections carried out by our officers in the future,’ Simon Cadman said.
