News

A car ferry officer from Capel-le-Ferne has walked free from court today (13 December) after being cleared of any involvement in the deaths of three sailors who died in the English Channel when their yacht sank without a trace.

On Wednesday Michael Hubble, 62, was found not guilty of the sailors' manslaughter by the jury, and was today (Thursday) formally cleared of endangering the lives of James Meaby, 36, Jason Downer, 35, and Rupert Saunders, 36, at Winchester Crown Court when the jury told the judge they could not reach verdicts.

The men died when their yacht the Ouzo sank off the Isle of Wight in August last year.

The seven women and five men told the judge, Mr Justice Owen, they could not agree on verdicts on three lesser charges, under the Merchant Shipping Act, of engaging in conduct as a seaman that was likely to cause death or serious injury to the men.

The judge then discharged the jury after 33 hours of deliberating. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed they would not seek a re-trial as it was not in the public interest.

Mr. Hubble was in charge on board the 37,500-tonne P&O ferry Pride of Bilbao when the prosecution alleged he turned "a blind eye" to the close quarters incident with the 25ft Ouzo in the early hours of August 21. Hubble denied both the manslaughter and the Merchant Shipping Act charges.

Mr Hubble, said he would now get on with his life and go back to sea.