Anglers fined over illegal fishing in Staffordshire

Nine men were caught fishing without a rod licence by Environment Agency officers at pools in Stafford, Cannock, Burntwood, Leek, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Burton-on-Trent.

Six pleaded guilty but the fines were much higher for those who did not submit a plea and did not appear in court.

Fines of £3,982 were handed between the men in total.

Among those caught was Michael Horton, aged 51, of Chapel Drive in Walsall.

Horton pleaded guilty, was fined £250 and ordered to pay costs of £127 and a victim surcharge of £30, making the total penalty £407.

He was caught on August 11 last year at Pipe Hill Farm Pool in Hammerwich, near Burntwood.

Stephen Clarke, aged 52, of Sandwood Crescent in Stoke-on-Trent also pleaded guilty and was fined £412 and ordered to pay costs of £127 and a victim surcharge of £40, making the total penalty £579.

Clarke was caught on 23 August 2016 at Isaak Walton Fishery, Chebsey, Stafford.

David Pickerill, aged 52, of Hoveringham Drive in Stoke-on-Trent who pleaded guilty, was fined £250 and ordered to pay costs of £127 and a victim surcharge of £30, making the total penalty £407.

Pickerill was caught on the same day and location as Mr Clarke.

While Ryan Marriette, aged 30, of Skipton Road in Liverpool who was proved guilty in absence, was fined £660 and ordered to pay costs of £127 and a victim surcharge of £66, making the total penalty £853.

Marriette was caught on 2 August 2016 at Gailey Lower Reservoir, Cannock.

Others caught included Connor Grey of Oak Grove in Cheadle, Nicholas Mills of Neale Place in Stoke-on-Trent, Samuel Smith of Moston Street in Stoke-on-Trent, Ashley Gould of Thornewill Drive in Burton-on-Trent and Ashley Taylor of Birches Head Road in Stoke-on-Trent were all found guilty for fishing without a licence under Section 27(1)(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.

An annual fishing licence now costs £30.

Andrew Eardley of the Environment Agency said “The majority of anglers fish legally and purchase a rod licence. With anglers now being able to buy a licence online for a number of rods to cover any 12 month period it seems ridiculous the minority still risk a significant fine like these we’ve seen here.

“The minority of anglers that fail to buy a rod licence are cheating their fellow anglers and the future of the sport. Fishing licence cheats risk a criminal conviction, a significant fine and could lose their fishing equipment.”