Seven boat registration reoffenders back in court for more fines

Seven reoffending boat owners have faced a second day in Staines Magistrates’ court after neglecting to pay their registration fees for consecutive years. 

Environment Agency officers patrolling Penton Hook marina on 1 April 2025 found the vessels moored in neighbouring berths to where they’d been served notices just 16 months earlier.

Colin Chiverton, Environment Manager at the Environment Agency said

This is incredible. Fresh from their day in court, these owners received re-registration letters and ignored them all over again.

So back to Staines they go for more court fees, more surcharges and more fines. Have they learned this time around? I hope so, as if they keep offending, we’ll keep catching them.

Second time offender, Leslie Marsh of Chertsey, was fined £500 for his boat Oopsie Daisy, and ordered to pay an additional £200 Victim Surcharge and £275 Costs for the offence despite paying the £1341.81 registration fee before the court date, as once a summons has been issued the Environment Agency will not stop court proceedings.

11 offences brought fines of costs of £27,541

In the 4 November and 2 December batch of prosecutions, the court also heard that three first time offenders had skipped the annual registration fee (including an owner of two boats).

One of these was Klaus Beversluis, owner of La Belle View, a large Dutch barge. The court heard that Beversluis had paid no annual registration fee since ownership had been transferred to him in 2021. He pleaded guilty to the offence and was ordered to pay the 2025 registration fee of £3,664.60 and given 12 months conditional discharge.

In total all 11 offences brought hearing fines and costs over the last six weeks to £27,541.

This year’s patrols have still shown unacceptably high levels of registration evasion in marinas and urbanised parts of the river. 

Since January a total number of 2,447 boat registration checks have been undertaken by officers on patrol, and a further £91,439 in boat registration fees has been protected by enforcement action without it becoming necessary to prosecute those evaders.

Colin Chiverton added

Our officers are out all year long patrolling the river, checking the marinas and taking action against those who cheat their fellow boaters.

Our approach to non-registration on the Thames has changed – boat owners are given ample opportunity to register their boat however once a summons has been issued, it won’t stop us taking them to court, even if they subsequently pay their registration fee.

More hearings are to come as, on river patrols earlier this year, Environment Agency enforcement officers discovered 12 unregistered vessels during spot checks in Bossoms Boat Yard (Oxford), Caversham and Walton Marina. These will be heard in court in 2026.

Similar to excise duty for road vehicles, boat registration fees allow the Environment Agency to manage and maintain more than 600 miles of inland waterways across England, keeping them open and safe for thousands of boaters to enjoy. 

Boats can be registered by calling 03708 506 506 or visiting the River Thames boat registration page.

Background

Reoffenders summoned to court hearings on 4 November and 2 December were  

Cases were heard at Staines Magistrates’ Court on 4 November and 2 December 2025