A MAN has been fined thousands of pounds after buying a ship and promising it would not go to sea – before being rescued from the Channel when the vessel began to sink.

Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard that Joseph O’Connor, 64, was in charge of the poorly-maintained vessel, which was not fit to go to sea.

O’Connor was also in charge of the Humber Star, which sparked a huge clean-up operation after it sank in the River Itchen while moored at Woolston Jetty in 2009.

As reported by the Daily Echo, gallons of effluent and red diesel seeped into the river after the boat sank.

Two years later O’Connor bought the Wadestone on the condition that it would not be used at sea, the court heard.

But on October 31, 2011, the boat called the UK Coastguard for help after it began to take on water 34 nautical miles south of Portland Bill in Dorset while travelling to Malta.

It was towed back to Southampton and an inspection discovered that there were cracks in the hull, the boat was corroded, and there was no documentation for the ship.

Amir Esmiley, area operations manager at the Southampton Marine Office, said: “This vessel should not have left the Solent in the condition it was in.

“It triggered a major search and rescue operation when it sprang a leak and left its crew in danger.

"Fortunately for all involved, the situation was safely resolved.

"If there is a need for commercial vessels that are not designed or built for open water passages, then the advice of the MCA should be sought.”

The alarm was raised when the Humber Star sank in 2009 and residents noticed a foul stench coming from the sinking ship.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the spill was eventually contained and there would be no permanent impact, but the Environment Agency told the Daily Echo it would continue to monitor the impact on wildlife.

O’Connor, of an address in Naxxar, Malta, pleaded guilty to being the owner of the Wadestone and failing to ensure it was operated in a safe manner.

The charge of being in charge of the ‘dangerously unsafe’ Humber Star was withdrawn.

He was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,186.