EA have today made a press release saying "Boaters ordered to pay £3,239 for flouting boat registration laws."

Four River Thames boaters without valid registrations have been convicted by magistrates after prosecutions brought by the Environment Agency.

The separate cases were heard at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 16 May, Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 4 May, and Staines Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 25 April. All the registration offences were contrary tonon-registration charges under Articles 4 and 18 of the Environment Agency’s (Inland Waterways) Order 2010.

Slawek Szkupinski of 8 Magna Court, Costons Lane, Greenford, Middlesex, pleaded guilty by post that his unlicensed vessel ‘Captain Morgan 11’ was kept in the Harleyford Marina with a failed engine. Mr Szkupinski was fined £400 and ordered to pay compensation of £438.48 which was the registration fee for 2011, contribution to prosecution costs of £60 and victim surcharge of £15, a total £913.48.  

James Watkins of Villiers House, School Lane, Middleton Stoney, was charged after an Environment Agency officer found his boat ‘Quackers1V’ moored against the Trout Inn Carpark without a valid registration. Mr Watkins was prosecuted in his absence and was fined £400, ordered to pay compensation of £172.26, £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge by Oxford Magistrates’ Court.

In the second case on that day, Derek Wilby of Harcourt Arms, Main Road, Stanton Harcourt pleaded guilty by post and was fined £250, ordered to pay compensation of £187.92, £60 costs and a £15 victim surcharge for not registering his boat ‘Deli’ after being caught at on the River Thames near Bablock Hythe, Northmoor, Witney.

At Staines Magistrates’ Court, Brian Crook living onboard the Abbot, Tims Boat Yard, Timsway, Staines was found without a valid registration for his boat ‘the Abbot’ whilst the boat was moored at Tims Boat Yrd, Staines Reach. The defendant was found guilty in his absence and fined £200, ordered to pay compensation of £328.86, £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Matt Carter Waterways Operations Manager, said:

“Owners have a responsibility to ensure their boats are registered even if it is moored in a marina or boatyard or doesn’t move and we regularly challenge people using boats on the river without registration plates displayed. In response to customer feedback, we continue to do routine patrols and marina and lockside checks. In addition we carry out targeted enforcement exercises and these prosecutions are a direct result of such action.

NABO Chairman David Fletcher commented "I fully support the energetic action of EA against boaters who do not pay their way and obtain registration."