Three men from Leicestershire and one from Nottingham have pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence in cases brought by the Environment Agency at Northampton Magistrates Court on Monday 4 April 2024.
The four anglers received combined penalties of £1,342. A day’s fishing licence would have cost each of them £7.10.
Kingsley Vickers, 29, of SLeicester was found to be fishing without a licence at Bluebell Lakes, Oundle, Northamptonshire on 2 November 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £373, including a fine of £170, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £68.
Lee Hanson, 34, from Burbage, Leicestershire who also pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence at the same location on the same date has received a penalty of £375, including a fine of £172, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £68.
Paul Remer, 62, from Narborough, Leicestershire received a penalty of £403, including a fine of £192, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £76 after pleading guilty to fishing without a licence at Peatling Parva Pools in Leicestershire on 25 October 2023.
Darius Hodgson, 43, from Arnold, Nottingham received a penalty of £191, including a fine of £40, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £16 after pleading guilty to fishing without a licence at Butterley Reservoir, Ripley on 18 November 2023.
Following the verdicts, a spokesperson at the Environment Agency, said:
“We hope the penalties that these illegal anglers have received will act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of breaking the laws and byelaws we have in place across England.
“Fishing illegally can incur a fine of up to £2,500 and offenders can also have their fishing equipment seized. We inspect rod licences 24/7, seven days a week to check on cases of illegal fishing and for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.
“Illegal fishing undermines the Environment Agency’s efforts to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable. Money raised from fishing licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries for the benefit of legal anglers.”
Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence to fish. A 1-day licence costs from just £7.10, and an annual licence costs from £35.80 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 – 16-year-olds.
• Appeal after 14-year-old boy robbed of his bike by three youths
