Angler perverts the course of justice

SOME anglers will go to any lengths to try and get away with fishing in the closed season, but one angler, fishing the river section of the Kennet & Avon Canal went too far, it costing him £500.

Shaun Brindle was fishing in the closed season from a borrowed boat on the waterway near Keysham, and was spotted by a water bailiff who shouted he wanted to speak to him as it was the closed season.

Disappeared

But Brindle took off in the boat to Keysham Lock, and when the bailiff arrived there the angler and his companion had disappeared.  But the two didn't realise the bailiff would take note of the boat's name and contact British Waterways for details of the owner.

When contact was eventually made, Brindle thought he had the perfect answer—he gave the bailiff the name of the owner of the boat instead of his own.

Gave wrong name again

Eventually Brindle was interviewed under caution, but again he identified himself as the boat owner and signed a statement using that name. But then the bailiff was contacted by the real boat owner who  confirmed he was not the person the bailiff had seen fishing, but had allowed friends to borrow his boat for the day.

Appearing before Bristol Crown Court, Brindle was given a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £500 costs after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice.

During the closed season several anglers have been prosecuted by the Environment Agency, whose  bailiffs have been working with the local fishing associations.