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Drunken skipper vandalised fishing vessel in Lochinver Harbour

Stephen Cupples smashed navigation and electrical equipment on the Bon Ami while "intoxicated" and "agitated", Tain Sheriff Court was told.

Skipper Stephen Cupples admitted vandalising the Bon Ami fishing boat. Image: Facebook
Skipper Stephen Cupples admitted vandalising the Bon Ami fishing boat. Image: Facebook

A drunken skipper vandalised a fishing boat and put it out of action for 10 days, Tain Sheriff court has been told.

Stephen Cupples was “intoxicated” and “agitated” when he returned to the Bon Ami in Lochinver Harbour.

When police arrived they found Cupples in the wheelhouse surrounded by smeared blood and smashed navigation and electrical equipment.

The boat’s owner told police the incident lost him around £15,000 in earnings.

The incident happened only months after a crew member on the same boat had to be tied up and brought back to shore after an angry outburst at sea.

Cupples, 31, appeared at Tain Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted a single charge of vandalism in relation to the incident on April 21 of this year.

Skipper ‘had been drinking’

Fiscal depute Adelle Gray told the court that it was between 7 and 8pm when a Highland Council employee was made aware of a “skipper who had been drinking”

She said: “The witness had already received another call and was aware that the skipper in question was in charge of a vessel in the Lochinver Harbour.”

The witness was told that Cupples had left a bar and was on the way back to the vessel.

Witnesses at the scene reported that Cupples had started the engine of the boat and was shouting.

But when the worker arrived he saw Cupples “apparently asleep in the captain’s chair”.

However, he was later advised that the accused was “causing a disturbance in the wheelhouse”  and was “banging and crashing around” while “clearly intoxicated and agitated”.

Ms Gray said Cupples was seen: “Grabbing things and smashing things up.”

Police were called and officers boarded the boat and spoke to Cupples.

Police saw smeared blood

They noted there was blood smeared on numerous surfaces in the wheelhouse and significant damage to navigation and electrical equipment”.

Cupples, of Garval Road, Tarbert, was arrested and the owner of the boat was contacted.

“He (the owner) confirmed he was not covered by insurance and sustained a substantial loss that he estimates to be around £15,000,” Ms Gray told the court, adding that the boat had been out of action for 10 days while the owner had the damage repaired.

“The average catch for a 10-day period would be around £15,000,” she told Sheriff David Sutherland.

But, noting that the sentence had been previously deferred for a clarification of this figure, Cupples’ solicitor David Patterson said: “The owner of the boat is unable to provide clarification because the £15,000 figure is just made up.”

Sheriff Sutherland set a further hearing for the figure to be confirmed and the case will call again in the new year.