A shocking incident unfolded on the Thames when a foul-mouthed boater, Scott Keen, caused a near-disastrous scene by cutting off young rowers during a regatta.

The 48-year-old man steered his boat, named Barney McGrew, into a restricted area of the river in London, where a summer rowing competition was taking place.

His actions narrowly avoided a collision with the rowers, who were forced to make sudden maneuvers to avoid disaster.

Dangerous Maneuver and Abusive Outburst

Keen’s boat entered the closed section of the river at Kingston-upon-Thames, despite multiple warnings, cutting across the racing line.

His reckless behavior resulted in one boat having to perform a frantic maneuver to avoid what could have been a catastrophic crash.

After causing the disruption, Keen continued to show a complete disregard for safety.

He stopped his boat, yelled at the rowers, and infamously declared, “You don’t own the f***ing water.”

Unregistered Boat and Serious Consequences

Keen, who is from Morden, south-west London, has now been slapped with fines and costs totaling £4,335 as a result of his dangerous actions.

The court found him guilty of obstructing a boat race, interfering with the safety of others, and failing to comply with the harbor master’s orders.

Furthermore, Keen’s boat was unregistered, which added to the severity of his offense.

Harbour Master Criticizes Reckless Actions

Maria Herlihy, the Environment Agency’s operations manager and harbour master of the Thames, condemned Keen’s actions as a disgrace.

She expressed relief at the court’s decision and issued a stern warning to other potential offenders, stating, “Anti-social and dangerous behaviour on our rivers will not be tolerated.”

She emphasized that the Thames is a shared space, and such reckless behavior could have had tragic consequences.

Financial Penalty and Legal Consequences

After being found guilty, Keen was fined the maximum penalty of £1,000, and his total financial penalty, including compensation and legal costs, amounted to £4,334.

The ruling serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of ignoring boating regulations and acting carelessly on the river.

This case is part of a broader crackdown by the Environmental Agency on unregistered boats.

Last year, 40 boaters were fined a total of more than £55,000 for similar offenses, highlighting the seriousness with which authorities are treating such incidents on the Thames.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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