Fisherman only used GPS to ‘reassure girlfriend’

A trawlerman accused of illegally fishing scallop when his GPS tracker was switched off told a court he would only turn it on at sea to reassure his girlfriend where he was.

David Bickerstaff, of Brixham, Devon, said he was not trying to evade detection after the prosecution alleged he did not have his boat’s Automatic Identification System on at times so he could fish in banned waters.

The 31-year-old, along with Derek Meredith, 50, of Brixham, and the Torquay companies Laura D Fishing Ltd and South West Trawlers Ltd, deny 20 offences of illegally fishing for scallops in January 2016. The trial at Gloucester Crown Court continues.