Blimey, that's a bit steep

As we are not privvy to all the facts of the court, let us not argue the sentence etc. (shame burlglary etc does not incur such immediate custodial sentencing).

As for the oddity, well there are two pics, first he has no need for a hook he has fingers. In the other apart from all the other courtesy flags he is flying the strangest one looks like it is a devonian flag which would be outragious to fly in Cornwall
 
For those who might not have noticed the Devon flag before, I just lifted this from Wikipedia

The Flag of Devon is the flag of the English county of Devon. It is dedicated to Saint Petroc[1], a local saint with numerous dedications throughout the West Country and particularly in Devon. It is notable for its creation through two web-based polls.[2]
Contents
[hide]

* 1 History
* 2 Criticism
* 3 When to fly the Devon Flag
* 4 References
* 5 External links

[edit] History
Devon

The flag was created in 2003 after two polls run by the BBC Devon website, the winning design taking 49% of the votes cast.[3] The design was created by student Ryan Sealey.

Since its launch in 2003, the Devon Flag has gained popularity, and in October 2006 it gained "official" recognition when Devon County Council raised the flag outside County Hall.[4]

Although the Devon Flag is a new invention, the colours of the flag are those popularly identified with Devon (e.g. the colours of its Rugby Union team, Exeter University and Plymouth Argyle F.C.). Lord Exmouth flew a dark green flag with white circles at the Bombardment of Algiers (now on view at the Teign Valley Museum).

The Devon Flag is made of three colours — green (Pantone 348), black and white. The green represents the colour of the rolling and lush Devon hills, the black represents the high and windswept moors (Dartmoor and Exmoor) and the white represents both the salt spray of Devon's two coastlines and the China Clay industry (and mining in general). The placement of the colours (specifically placing sable on vert) violates the heraldic rule of tincture.

In April 2004 Rodney Lock of Ottery St Mary in East Devon was threatened with legal action for flying a Devon flag in his back garden, as he required planning permission to fly non-national flags. Since then the Minister for Housing, Keith Hill, has said local authorities can officially "turn a blind eye" to the practice of flying the county flag from poles
 
Have seen this ferry many times in Falmouth, up the Fal & the Truro.
The Stars & Stripes are just for advertising.

Six Months is well OTT.

I hope he intends to appeal.
 
So if my creen is showing reasonably accurate colours, the boat in the pic isn't flying the Devon flag - it looks pale blue to me.

Snowleopard: This is your part of the world - do you know Haven Rose?

Either the report is inaccurate, or Mr Pill didn't have a decent lawyer. Report says he pleaded guilty to 'not having a device to release the liferaft' but the inspector just said the HRU was out of date - does this actually mean it did not have an in date test certificate, or that it was of a model no longer approved?
 
I thought this was a bit OTT at first as well... but actually I now think that this was entirely reasonable.

The guy was running a commercial operation... the essential lifesaving gear was not maintained.

We need to send a very very strong signal that this will not be tolerated... if we simply fine the operator then there is the potential for creating a commercial arguement for only maintaining equipment if the fine is more than the cost of maintanence... and this cost amortized over the number of years that you may be able to get away with it...

The message being sent is that there is NO commercial advantage to be gained by not maintaining the equipment.

I for one am pleased that there is not a "Price" on this sort of thing. If the ferry had been involved in a accident and someone had died because of the failure of the liferaft.... the operator would have gone to jail and none of us would have questioned it... why wait for someone to die?
 
Serves him right and its not OTT. He took money from passengers to make profit. Those passengers are supposed to have certain safety equipment available to them with an expectation that it is working. The owner is supposed to be competent to run a service and have in place a scheme to manage the safety aspects of the vessel.

Based on what has been reported on the OP link he placed lives in danger and he should / or did know better. Hence, it sounds like wilful negligence to provide a safe service.
 
The report on this evenings BBC Spotlight said that he falsified the paperwork to show that the liferaft had been serviced, when it had in fact not been done.
Very harsh sentence but I bet all the other ferries on the Fal will have their liferafts actually serviced now.
 
It's an absolute travesty. They didnt show that the liferaft was faulty, just that it hadnt been inspected by an approved person. So it's a H & S paperwork thing not a real issue.

Wonder if the judge had a clue what he was dealing with
 
Bosun Higgs said:
It's an absolute travesty. They didnt show that the liferaft was faulty, just that it hadnt been inspected by an approved person. So it's a H & S paperwork thing not a real issue.

Wonder if the judge had a clue what he was dealing with
Click to expand...

Could not agree more. Proportionality of sentences is a complete Boll@x. He could do criminal damage, burglary, assult - including seriously injuring someone and get less than 6 months.

Interesting to note whether they ever tested the life raft.

Typical treatment of a person that is trying to run a business and taking shortcuts against a criminal scrot taking a car , joyriding and doing lots of damage - one is worth a fine and punishing while the others are on the social security!!
 
Mr Pill allegedly "Falsified" documents.
he was aware of what he was doing.
i have checked many scaffolds in my time what would have happened had i falsified the register & the structure collapsed. i would be getting a Court Room Tan thats what
 
Sailfree said:
... Typical treatment of a person that is trying to run a business and taking shortcuts against a criminal scrot taking a car , joyriding and doing lots of damage - one is worth a fine and punishing while the others are on the social security!!
Click to expand...

I agree with your point about inconsistent levels of punishment being handed out but in this case that is not the point. If boatmen feel that servicing liferaft intervals are too erroneous then they can arrange to make representations to have the interval changed if it is that detrimental to running their business.

At least on this occasion a judge has weighed the potential impact on humans to be more sever than transgressing minor administrative matters. I think Photdog summed it up rather well.
 
For many years that family have had brushes with the law regarding touting and strange behavior on the POW pier. Maybe there has been other minor faults in the past. I for one would expect any passenger boat to be in date especially when on holiday, its not practical to climb over other passengers to check inspection dates. I have no sympathy for professionals who flout the regulations.
 
This guy consciously and deliberately put the lives of up to 50 people at risk for what? To save a small amount of money.

If you think the Judge was OTT - think how we would all feel if there had been a mishap, specially if members of your family had drowned, simply because this guy had tried to save a little cash by not having his liferaft serviced.

As an ex Boatman myself I have no time for anyone who even considers compromising Passenger Safety in this way.

The echo still rumble on from the Marchioness disaster in 1990 - this was another waiting to happen through the deliberate act of a guy who is well known as a 'rogue trader' in the business.
 
pampas said:
For many years that family have had brushes with the law regarding touting and strange behavior on the POW pier.
Click to expand...

I was about to post something similar - there was another Court Case a little while back involving the Pill brigade, was there not? There may be an underlying 'trend' to cutting corners and a belief that the 'family Pill' can do anything they want as they have been at it for so long. I am certainly wary of their boats as they plough around Falmouth, as they seem to have little regard for other boats around them.
 
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