Custody for captain too drunk to drive his ship.

A Romanian ship’s captain has been remanded in custody by magistrates for drink-driving off the Kent coast.

Last month, Adrian Fericel’s ship, Kathrin narrowly missed the East Goodwin Light Vessel in Kent, before running aground, refloating and continuing her journey north. Reports of the incident resulted in the vessel being met at New Holland on the Humber by an inspector from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the court heard.

The captain was arrested after failing a breathalyser test carried out by the Humberside Police. After being taken to Scunthorpe Police Station, another breath test revealed him to be about four times over the legal limit.

Scunthorpe magistrates found the defendant, 45, guilty of failing a breathalyser test whilst in command of a vessel. Judging their sentencing powers to be insufficient, they referred the case to the Crown Court. Mr Fericel will appear before Grimsby Crown Court on March 20.