Former Manly stars charged with poaching

[Berkeley_Eagle]

February 22, 2006

FORMER rugby league stars Terry Hill and Scott Fulton face a large fine and possibly jail after being accused of tampering with lobster pots.

The brothers-in-law were allegedly caught in a NSW Fisheries sting lifting a commercial fisherman's lobster pots on Sydney's Hawkesbury River on December 29.

The Daily Telegraph reports the former NRL Manly Sea Eagles teammates both have been charged with seven counts of interfering with set fishing gear.

Each charge carries a $5,500 fine.

The pair also have been accused of using more personal pots than allowed.

If found guilty of using more than the one personal pot, the pair face a $22,000 fine and six months in jail.

Hill claimed he and Fulton were not aware of what the fisherman's pots were when they pulled them.

"There's no drama," he is quoted as saying. "It's not as though we were stealing his lobsters."

The pair is due to appear in Gosford Local Court in April

AAP

 

[Guest]

The fisheries ofciers have it all down on video as well so there is no way that they will get out of it.

This is why Hill should not be coaching our flegg team as he doesn't set a good example and never has. As for Fulton well it doesn;t surprise one bit.

 

[The Gronk]

One thing's for sure- Tezza will give an absolute gob full to everyone in the courtroom!!

 

[The Fonz]

What a load of whipped up bull****. They weren't actually caught stealing lobsters. They were caught pulling the pots out of the water.

 

[Stevie]

Scott Fulton Manly Star ???????????? yes.........................

 

[The Wheel]

What a load of whipped up bull****. They weren't actually caught stealing lobsters. They were caught pulling the pots out of the water.

So what were they pulling the pots out of the water for in the first place - just to have a look at the pots, surely they have seen lobster pots before. Fonz on the grounds of probability they were goign to grab a couple & take them home for dinner, Most commercial pots are tagged anyway so they woudl have known they were no to be touched at all.

Give Tezza a warning but throw the book at Scott

 

[Guest]

What a load of whipped up bull****. They weren't actually caught stealing lobsters. They were caught pulling the pots out of the water.

Hill lives on the water just around the bend from where they were caught. He has taken his boat out on that water for years and knows what a comercial lobster plot looks like.

If they pulled up the pots there is only one thing that they they were going to do with them. I work with a girl who lives in the same street as Hill and put it mildly he is not well liked by the locals.

 

[The Wheel]

There is an old saying "you can take the boy out of South Sydney but you cant take South Sydney out of the boy"

 

[The Fonz]

Well i'd like to see anybody prove he was going to steal them and don't give me **** about probability. Prove to me he was going to to take the lobsters. If they had any brains they would of waited until he had them out of the pots and into the boat.

 

[The Wheel]

Well it will be interesting to see what the court says then

 

[Guest]

Well i'd like to see anybody prove he was going to steal them and don't give me **** about probability. Prove to me he was going to to take the lobsters. If they had any brains they would of waited until he had them out of the pots and into the boat.

Reading the newspaper article I don't think that stealing lobsters is what they are being charged with. It mentions that they are charged with interfering with commercial fishing gear and lobster poaching via the unauthorised use of commercial fishing traps.

It sounds like it is an offence to even touch a commercial fishermans traps and that they may have also set a few commercial traps themselves. As ususal the newspapers don't tell the truth.

Poaching charges

By JOSH MASSOUD

February 23, 2006

FORMER rugby league stars Terry Hill and Scott Fulton will appear in court after being charged with lobster poaching on the Hawkesbury River.

The pair each face 10 charges carrying a total maximum penalty of $84,700 and a year in jail.

The Daily Telegraph revealed late last year that Hill and Fulton – son-in-law and son of league immortal Bobby "Bozo" Fulton – were detained by NSW Fisheries inspectors while tampering with lobster pots.

The brothers-in-law were caught lifting several lobster pots from the Hawkesbury at Middle Head at dawn on December 29.

After a seven-week investigation, the NSW Department of Primary Industries yesterday confirmed formal charges had been laid.




The former Manly Sea Eagles teammates each face seven counts of "interfering with set fishing gear", carrying a maximum penalty of $5500.

But the most serious charges relate to lobster poaching via the unauthorised use of commercial fishing traps.

Departmental prosecution lawyers will allege Hill and Fulton used more than the one trap permitted for recreational fishermen.

If guilty, the pair face a $22,000 fine and six months in jail. They also face the same maximum punishment for possessing illegally-gained lobsters, as well as a $2200 fine for failing to pay their fishing fees.

The lobster pots that allegedly caught the contraband haul belong to fisherman Tom Van de Noot.

It is understood Mr Van de Noot complained to officials the day before Hill and Fulton were caught.

The commercial fisherman told The Daily Telegraph in December his traps were "pulled all the time by amateurs".

"This is my livelihood. If my lobsters get stolen I'm kaput," he said.

On the basis of Mr Van de Noot's complaint, inspectors conducted a "stake out" of the Middle Head area with a video camera. They didn't have to wait long to strike.

At about 5.30am, enough evidence had been recorded of Hill and Fulton pulling lobster traps from the water for the sting to take place.

But 34-year-old Hill, who is married to Fulton Sr's daughter Kristie, denied taking lobsters when confronted.

Hill – who did not return The Daily Telegraph's calls yesterday – claimed he and Fulton pulled traps from the water unaware of what they were.

"I didn't know they were commercial fishing traps. It's not something we do everyday," said Hill, whose Brisbane Waters home is a short boat trip from where they were apprehended.

"There's no drama. It's not as though we were stealing his lobsters."

The pair are due to appear at Gosford Local Court in April.

 

[Utility Player]

The lack of Lobster's should save them from the maximum sentence. Wonder if Chris Murphy will lead the defence.

 

[The Fonz]

Well if touching commercial traps is prohibited then it sounds as if they are guilty. However, i don't think much will come of it.

 

[Ryan]

I reckon Hill has gobbled a few lobsters in the last couple of weeks...he's ballooned up ALREADY...

 

[Chip and Chase]

Anyone who lives near the water is well aware of the ethics of lifting other peoples pots out of the water, I can assure you they weren't doing it out of curiosity. I'd say the only thing that saved them was that the "several" pots they lifted were obviously empty.

 

[robbiea]

Last time i touched a commercial box ,all i got was crabs!!

 

[Canteen Worker]

Last time i touched a commercial box ,all i got was crabs!!

:blaugh: