Boat skipper fined for Irish Sea wind turbine crash
- Published
Jack Graham admitted misconduct of a master or crew likely to endanger ships, structures or individuals
The skipper of a fishing boat, that crashed into a wind turbine off the Cumbrian coast causing thousands of pounds of damage, has been fined.
Jack Graham had gone to the rear of the catamaran Daybreak to help move boxes, leaving the tiller on auto-pilot to steer round the off-shore wind farm.
The vessel hit the turbine and three people on the boat needed rescuing.
The 21 year old admitted misconduct of a master or crew likely to endanger ships, structures or individuals.
21st birthday
Carlisle Crown Court heard he was on board with his father and uncle and was about to fish for whelks off the coast of Barrow when the crash happened.
It was on his 21st birthday in May 2016.
The crash to the wind turbine cost about £6,000, while the cost of boat repairs and lost earnings to Graham's family business was estimated at £100,000.
Graham, of Eskdale Avenue, Seascale, was described in court as "remorseful" and had made immediate "full and frank" admissions of guilt.
The judge fined him £1,000 and he was ordered to pay £2,000 costs.