Ferry captain used ship to ram occupied dinghy, court hears
A FERRY captain used his 118-ton vessel to crush a dinghy and injure its occupant after a mooring row erupted in Poole Harbour, a court has heard.
Oliver Jarvis was carrying passengers back from Brownsea Island, Dorset, on board the 50ft-long Maid of Poole when he found he was unable to moor up in his usual space on Sept 17 last year.
It was being occupied by a small rigid inflatable boat, owned by Stuart Cain, a video production company director, who had disembarked.
The 35-year-old ferry driver sounded his horn as he yelled at Mr Cain, 52, to move his boat, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.
But once Mr Cain jumped into the dinghy, he heard the ferry’s engine restart and found himself fearing for his life as he was allegedly rammed into the harbour wall. The businessman suffered a badly bruised hand and whiplash injuries, while his 12ft dinghy was left damaged, a jury heard.
Mr Jarvis, of Lagland Court, Poole, is accused of causing damage to a ship and operating a vessel in a way that could cause injury or destruction, charges which carry a maximum twoyear jail sentence and an unlimited fine. He denies the allegations.
Mr Cain told the court: “I wanted to turn my boat around to leave, but I had only turned 90 degrees when the ferry hit me.
“That’s the point things changed, I realised I was in quite a dangerous position. I could hear a lot of engine noise and a lot of churning water and I was in a hole between two boats.
“I basically fought for my life to get out of there. I took physical action, trying to fend his ferry off, I physically pushed it away.
“That was the only defence I had at the time. It had a small impact, enough for me to drop my engine into the water and get it started.”
His hand was all the while being crushed between the ferry and his engine, but he managed to wriggle it free, the court was told.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, who are prosecuting, said the episode lasted up to 15 seconds.
The court heard Mr Cain’s boat weighed just 170lbs and can carry three people. The Maid of Poole weighs 118 tons and can carry 186 passengers.
Mr Cain, who wore a cast on his hand for five weeks, alleges that Mr Jarvis then left the ferry without checking on his well-being.
The trial continues.