Skipper and boat owners fined €4k

The skipper and owners of a fishing boat were convicted and fined a total of €4,000 yesterday on charges partly related to out-of-date safety equipment on a trawler.

Judge Olann Kelleher refused an application to give the accused the benefit of a dismissal under the Probation of Offenders Act after guilty pleas were entered yesterday.

The judge said that, even taking account of mitigating factors such as the pleas of guilty, the co-operation with the investigation and the absence of previous convictions, he had to impose fines.