North Shields man gets suspended sentence for illegal fishing

News from the Environment Agency

A North Shields man has received a three month prison sentence suspended for two years by magistrates after he was found guilty of illegally netting fish from the River Tyne at Hexham.

Thomas Bailey, aged 44 of Clifton Gardens, North Shields, appeared before Hexham magistrates court yesterday (July 18) in a case brought by the Environment Agency.

He denied the offence but was found guilty and given a three month prison sentence suspended for two years. He was also ordered to carry out 250 hours of community service and pay £500 court costs to the Environment Agency. Magistrates also ordered for the nets, dinghy and fish to be forfeited.

Helen Ferguson, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, told the court how Environment Agency fisheries enforcement officers were on duty on the evening of 22nd August 2006 as part of an authorised surveillance operation. The officers saw Thomas Bailey setting three illegal nets immediately below the confluence of the North and South Tyne.

Bailey was arrested leaving the scene but claimed in his interview to have been visiting a girlfriend. However, officers found three illegal nets, a dinghy and 24 fish in nets at the scene which had been set up by Bailey.

Ms Ferguson said this activity was a very professional and commercial operation.

On sentencing, the magistrates’ said they found this case so serious that custody was the most suitable option.

After the court case, Environment Agency team leader for fisheries enforcement, Kevin Summerson said: “The river Tyne has been the best salmon river in England and Wales for the last nine years and enforcement plays a very important role in maintaining this.

“This sentence shows that Magistrates have recognised the environmental damage that illegal netting can have on recovering stocks of migratory fish. Anglers can be assured we will always take action against this type of activity.”

The defendant was charged that:

On 23rd August 2006, did breach sec 27(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 in that he did jointly with another take salmon and migratory trout from the River Tyne by means of a net, being an instrument other than one which he was entitled to use for that purpose by virtue of a licence under Section 25 of the salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 contrary to section 27(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.