A 17-YEAR-OLD has been handed a nine-month referral order after the fishing boat he was piloting smashed into a dinghy, injuring a father and son.

Appearing before Bodmin Youth Court, Jake Gilbert admitted a breach of the Merchant Shipping Act after the incident in Newquay last September.

The court heard how on September 12, the teenager took his father's fishing vessel, the Tizzardlee On, out of Newquay Harbour with a number of his friends on board.

It was at a time when hundreds of people had gathered to watch the ladies' gig racing.

At the same time a small rowing dinghy with a father and his eight-year-old son was returning to shore.

The court was told that when the dinghy was about 100 yards from the harbour entrance it was hit by the Tizzardlee On and both father and son were thrown from the vessel, suffering injuries as a result. The occupants of the fishing vessel then came to their aid.

Jake Gilbert pleaded guilty to a breach of section 58 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals.

He was a given a nine-month referral order. His parents were ordered to pay £200 compensation to each of the dinghy occupants and were also required to pay £500 contribution to prosecution costs.

Magistrates said the collision was caused by Mr Gilbert's failure to keep a proper lookout.

Jeremy Smart, head of UK enforcement for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and who was present in court, said he was able to get reporting restrictions lifted and to name the teenager because of the frequency of such incidents.

He said: "Run-downs in various forms seem to happen far too often. We want people to be aware that this is what can happen.

"It is very fortunate that no one was seriously injured or even killed as a result of this incident."

The father suffered severe bruising to his back and arm and the eight-year-old suffered rope burns to his neck.

Mr Smart said: "There was some discussion over the speed but it doesn't really matter because the main issue is that there was a collision which could have been avoided."

Nigel Blazeby, principal fishing vessel surveyor western UK of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency added: "It was fortunate no one was seriously hurt. Proper and effective lookout at all times is the duty of all in charge of a vessel."