News

Boat owner jailed for 15 months following death of two fishermen

Published

7 years ago

August 3, 2017

Eshcol: The boat on which the two fishermen died

THE PEMBROKESHIRE owner of a boat on which two fishermen died of carbon monoxide poisoning has been jailed for 15 months.

Mark Arries, 26, and Edward Ide, 21, were found dead on the fishing vessel Eshcol as it was moored in Whitby harbour, North Yorkshire, in January 2014.

The pair were using a gas cooker to warm the boat overnight as they slept.

Boat owner Timothy Bowman-Davies admitted failing to ensure that the ship was operated safely and that work equipment was maintained efficiently was aware that the crew were using the cooker as a heating source.

But the 44-year-old from Neyland told Leeds Crown Court he did not know the men were using the cooker as a heater.

On Wednesday (Aug 2), Judge Tom Bayliss QC rejected this basis of plea and jailed the defendant for 15 months.

He said: “Two men have died. Those who employ others and whose actions create a risk of harm must take the consequences when harm results, such as here.”

The judge said: “He knew the cooker was being used to heat the vessel. A simple risk assessment would have revealed the danger.”

He also said there appears to have been a ‘general ignorance within the industry’ about the dangers of carbon monoxide.

In victim personal statements read to the court, Mr Arries and Mr Ide were both described by their families as doting young fathers who had fishing in their blood.

Mr Arries’s fiancee, Kim Grieve, explained how one of their two twin daughters had died shortly after her birth just five months before the incident.

She said Mr Arries was a ‘devoted dad’ to his son, who is now eight, and surviving twin daughter.

Ms Grieve said: “I’m heartbroken my soul mate has gone.”

His mother, Tracey Arries, said in her statement that she worried every day about her son out at sea only to see him die while tied up in port.

She said: “It breaks my heart that I lost my boy when something so small as a monitor would have saved his life.”

Mr Ide’s mother, Gail Oliver, said her ‘world fell apart’ with the death ofher son.

His fiancee, Sarah-Louise Tait said he was loving father to their son, now three.

The court heard that Mr Arries, from Blyth, Northumberland, and Mr Ide, from Amble, Northumberland, arrived to work on the boat on January 8, 2014.

They were part of a fleet of three vessels fishing for scallops in the North Sea and had returned from a trip in the early hours of the morning of January 15.

The court heard that Bowman-Davies’s son Jake, who was 15 at the time, was working on one of the other boats and found the bodies of his colleagues.

The 19-year-old said each of the three vessels was provided with a fan heater for warmth and could access power from the engine, a generator or an electric hook-up in the harbour.

He said he offered the two men a power cable after they moored in Whitby but they refused.

Jake Bowman-Davies told the court his father did not know the cooker was being used as a heater on the Eshcol, which contradicted his statements to police.

Judge Bayliss said he believed the teenager’s original version of events, accusing him of lying in court to protect his father.

The court heard how two of the defendant’s other boats were lost after the tragedy with his son skippering.

One sank with the crew having to be rescued by helicopter and the other crashed into rocks when Jake Bowman-Davies fell asleep.

Reports from 2015 described the then 17-year-old as Britain’s youngest fishing boat captain. They said he crashed the vessel in the dark near Milford Haven eight months after the sinking of the other vessel off the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales.

But Jake Bowman-Davies was given a bravery award for saving the lives of his crew during the first incident.

Crime

Unanimous verdict in Ceredigion sexual assault case

Published

13 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A CEREDIGION man has been convicted to three years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in her own bed after the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

27-year-old Suroj Bk, from Llangrannog, was sentenced this week following a week-long trial at Swansea Crown Court (May 1).

On 7 October 2023, Dyfed-Powys Police received a report that Bk entered the victim’s home and sexually assaulted her while she lay in her bed.

When the victim realised what was happening, she kicked Bk out of her bed and called the police.

Upon receiving the report, officers quickly attended the victim’s home and conducted a thorough search of the surrounding area using police dogs and scenes of crime officers.

Evidence gathered from scene, together with extensive local enquiries, led officers to arrest Suroj Bk the next day (8 October).

While Bk was in custody, detectives, crime scene investigators, and digital forensic officers worked tirelessly to uncover the evidence that ultimately placed Suroj Bk at the scene.

After hearing the evidence, the jury took less than two hours to agree a unanimous guilty verdict.

The detective in charge of the case has praised the victim for her ‘tremendous courage’ in reporting the assault to police.

“Incidents of this nature are thankfully very rare within Ceredigion, and I’d like to reassure the community that this was an isolated incident, and that the identification and arrest of suspect was done quickly and efficiently,” said Detective Inspector Sam Gregory.

“The victim in this case demonstrated tremendous courage in reporting to police, and while this investigation was not straightforward in its nature, it was through the expertise and tenacity of forensic officers, working together with the investigation team, and the victim, that led to this successful prosecution.

“I hope the sentence given to Suroj Bk sends a clear and strong message that Dyfed-Powys Police takes reports of sexual offences seriously.

“We will listen to you, and we will work tirelessly to get justice.”

On Wednesday, 1 May 2024, Saroj Bk was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and a five-year restraining order, and he will be on the sex offenders register for life.

If you have been a victim of a crime such as this, report it to Dyfed-Powys Police either through a direct message on social media, online at: https://www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.

In an emergency, always call 999.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.

News

Body recovered confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, say police

Published

13 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS police have said today that the body found on Wednesday, May 1, has been confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, who was reported missing from the Pembroke Dock area on April 14.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We will continue to support the family and will assist with issuing a tribute publicly if the family wish to do so.”

In a statement, his family said: “Luke was a joyful and funny young man and always wanted to help others. He was a loving son, brother, grandson and uncle, and will be forever missed.
“We have lost a huge part of our family, and our loss is shared by his many friends who also loved him dearly.
“We would like to thank the local community for the overwhelming support we have received.”

Business

Port of Milford Haven now official ‘a great place to work’

Published

15 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PORT of Milford Haven has been officially accredited as a Great Place to Work-Certified™ organisation. As the first Port Authority in Britain to secure this Certification™, it is a significant achievement.

“We are very proud to be Great Place to Work-Certified™,” said Vidette Swales, HR Director at the Port of Milford Haven. “It means so much that our employees have reported a consistently positive experience with their colleagues, their leaders and their jobs. Offering a positive employee experience is not only beneficial for the people who work with us but is also key for our continued business success.”

Tom Sawyer, CEO at the Port of Milford Haven added: “Our team is operating the UK’s leading energy port, and it is of the utmost importance that we do that safely, responsibly and effectively. We’re striving for excellence and aim to provide a world class service to our customers as well as supporting sustainable coastal communities for the prosperity of future generations. Our employees are clearly at the centre of this which is why I’m delighted that they feel supported in their role. I’m especially proud that this Certification™ demonstrates our core values of Safety, Excellence, Collaboration and Sustainability so perfectly.”

“We congratulate the Port of Milford Haven on achieving their Certification™,” said Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK. “Organisations which put the employee experience at the heart of their business gain their employees’ trust and, in turn, are truly able to build a great workplace culture that delivers outstanding business results.”