Following a boat crash that left three people gravely injured, a Swindon boat owner was ordered to pay a sizable fine.
Ian Sullivan, 55, of South Marston, Swindon, appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday, February 16, and was given an order to pay £20,000.
This comes after Hampshire Police and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) conducted a cooperative investigation.
In connection with his vessel Sully grounding in Totland Bay, Isle of Wight, in September 2022, Sullivan entered a guilty plea to two charges under The Merchant Shipping Regulations 1996: failing to maintain a proper lookout and failing to proceed at a safe speed.
Sullivan has been sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and must perform 150 hours of unpaid labour in addition to costs.
When the motorboat struck rocks near the shore, three of the passengers suffered severe injuries, and one member of the crew suffered injuries that could change their life.
Witnesses stated that on the evening of September 24, the brightly lit motor cruiser crossed Totland Bay quickly and it was unlikely that it would have kept a proper lookout.
The ship didn’t veer off course or slow down before quickly running aground on the coast.
An extensive search and rescue operation involving the police, RNLI, and HM Coastguard was triggered by the incident.
The ship sustained significant damage from the grounding, and it is currently stuck high and dry on the coast with no chance of being saved.
His Honour Judge Newton-Price stated during the sentencing that Sullivan drove his boat dangerously, seriously injuring his passengers as a result.
He continued, saying that Sullivan’s judgement was impaired by alcohol.
“This result demonstrates that the MCA will always take appropriate and necessary action when a complete lack of compliance and disregard for the laws of the sea are shown,” stated Mark Cam, senior investigator with the MCA’s Regulatory Compliance Investigations Team (RCIT).
“It endangers many people’s lives in the long run, in addition to safety.
“Three of Mr. Sullivan’s friends suffered critical injuries when his vessel capsized. We want to make it very evident that breaking these kinds of laws is not acceptable and that those who choose not to abide by the law will suffer the consequences.
The case had to be rescheduled from its original February 2019 hearing date.
