A JET skier has appeared in court after being caught in Poole Harbour travelling almost three times the speed limit.

Alan Bailey, aged 55, of Barnes Hill, Birmingham, admitted being in charge of a craft in the harbour - a Yamaha Jet Ski - without the harbourmaster’s consent on May 28, and admitted travelling in excess of ten knots.

Yesterday he was handed a £260 fine by magistrates and ordered to pay £330 costs and victim surcharge.

Bailey was one of three people to appear before magistrates on Wednesday, charged with offences relating to speeding on water craft in the harbour.

The speed water craft can travel within the harbour is strictly regulated by local bylaws, and all personal craft must have prior permission of the harbourmaster.

Some parts of the harbour have a six knot speed limit, other parts are governed by a 10 knot limit.

Prosecuting, Lucy Goff, said the defendant was clocked by the harbour master patrol vessel, Vixen, travelling through the main middle ship channel at 29 knots, where the limit is just 10 knots.

She also said: “After stopping Mr Bailey it was also found he hadn’t paid for a licence.”

A one-day personal water craft licence, a requirement for using the harbour, costs £15.

Appearing unrepresented, Bailey told the court: “I apologise for wasting your time today.

“I didn’t know how quick I was going until I was pulled over.”

Bailey was fined £60 for not having a licence and £200 for speeding.

Meanwhile, Colin Parnell, aged 55, of Moriconium Quay, Poole, was fined £100 and ordered to pay £400 costs and a £30 victim surcharge, after admitting speeding within the harbour on his small motor boat, on May 23, this year

He told the court: “I apologise, I didn’t realise I was breaking the law at the time.

“We were literally driving through the water to the mooring, and the engineer who had fixed the engine on my pride and joy told me to give it a bit of a go to make sure it didn’t stall.

“Some friends told me the speed limit only applied in the summer, not the winter. Obviously this is incorrect.

“It was a stupid thing to do, I am a responsible boat owner and don’t want to be breaking the law. As soon as I was pulled over and it was explained I said I was sorry.”

The court was told Parnell had been followed from Hamworthy for more than 1,000 yards by the harbour master patrol vessel, Vixen, and was clocked at 20 knots before being pulled over.

Zack Chalkley, aged 29, of Friday’s Heron, Cranborne, Wimborne, also appeared before magistrates charged with breaking the ten knot harbour limit on June 10.

The court heard that 11.55am, the Poole Harbour vessel Vigilant witnessed a red sea boat in the Wareham Channel, followed it for 800 yards and clocked it travelling at 25 knots.

Initially, Chalkley told the court he couldn’t see how he’d been travelling that fast, as the boat was experiencing engine problems at the time.

However, he later pleaded guilty to the offence, was fined £150 ordered to pay £250 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

The prosecutions were brought by Poole Harbour Commissioners.