Boat owners fined for unregistered vessels

Boats owners whose vessels are unregistered on the River Thames have been taken to court and fined by the Environment Agency (EA).

Enforcement officers found 125 unregistered boats on the south-west of the river during a series of spot checks at Penton Hook Marina in Chertsey last December.

Staines magistrates' court was told owners had been given "ample warning" to register their boats.

The highest fee was issued to an owner from Battersea who was fined more than £2,300 in costs, compensation and victim surcharge.

Colin Chiverton from the EA said he was pleased by the outcome and that "it sends a clear warning to all unregistered boat owners".

"If you have an unregistered boat on the Thames, you should know that our enforcement teams are still out in October, patrolling the river and checking for valid registrations."

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