Jet skiers successfully prosecuted by PLA

A jet skier who flouted speed limit and safety rules on the tidal Thames has been fined, following a successful prosecution by the Port of London Authority. Kestutis Abramavicius, 36, was captured on video by a member of the public as he sped along the river near Benfleet Creek, Canvey Island, Essex. Westminster Magistrates Court heard how the offence took place in October last year. Abramavicius, of Dukes Avenue, Grays, admitted “navigation without due care and attention” under Section 108 of the Port of London Act. He was fined £750 and ordered to pay costs of more than £3,000. The court was told that there is an eight-knot speed limit throughout the Canvey Island area, which is in place to protect river users and the environment. He was identified with the help of Essex Police by the checking of launching records at a local slipway which matched the description of his distinctively coloured jet ski. Benfleet Creek is an environmentally protected area for its habitats and vegetation. Wash generated by the jet ski had the potential to affect this sensitive environment, the court was told yesterday (Wednesday 8 May). The prosecution comes in the wake of a similar incident, where Lee Martin, 31, from Gravesend was last month fined £2,750 and ordered to pay costs of more than £3,500 for ignoring a ban on jet skiing on the river in central London. After the hearing, PLA chief harbour master Bob Baker said: “We think this prosecution, following on from last month’s jet ski case, will again serve as a warning to river users. If you break the rules, we will take action. “We are also very grateful to the member of the public who recorded the offender committing the offence. Their help was vital to this prosecution and it demonstrates just how concerned people are about safety on the river and its environment.”

8 thoughts on “Jet skiers successfully prosecuted by PLA”

  1. At last, at last, and will Peel Ports please take note and jolly well do something about this on the Medway.

    1. Ban them from the river Medway, They launch there self from the ramp near gillingham marina

  2. Peel Ports have shown total disregard of frequent speeding by jet skiers in the Medway, especially dangerous in CHATHAM Reach which is narrow and frequently used by tenders crossing the river at low speed making them very vulnerable.

  3. In order to provide the money for the boats and staff that some posters on here are requesting, it might help if some clubs made compulsory that buying a Peel Ports river licence was a condition of membership.
    How many complainers on here have a licence sticker on their boat. ?

  4. Medway Council are improving Commodores Hard launching site for leisure boat users and Peel Ports are assisting both financially and with GIS expertise to replace signage prohibiting PWCs from launching at that site. It is untrue to say the harbour authority has done nothing. Further actions and patrols are in place.

    1. So when will the new signage actually be in place? There is nothing at Commodores Hard yet and we’re already into the busy summer season

  5. I don’t wish to knock the progress of the forthcoming new signage prohibiting launching of jet skis…but are we really expecting anyone to take any notice of them and solve this problem?

    The behaviour of 2 speed boat/wake board type boats accompanied by a jet ski last weekend was some of the worst I’ve seen. They were still doing donuts and hacking about Cookham Reach at 9.30pm on Sunday night before realising there wasn’t enough tide to recover and abandoning their craft on the MYC pontoon.

    I also witnessed one of these boats try to swamp a paddle-boarder with wash and gleefully cheered when he nearly fell off opposite the Historic Dockyard.

    What is the use of paying ‘conservancy’ when anyone can ignore the rules, launch where they like and spend the weekend acting like utter cretins, endangering other users of the river and with absolutely no risk of prosecution?

    It’s not a difficult nut to crack, either on or off the water, on any sunny weekend head for the Strand or Gillingham Reach and you’ll find some people that need educating.

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