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Sailor Jeffrey Allison to head home after Russian incident

Sep 20 2009 Sunday Sun

The trio were forced to sail to Murmansk where they were arrested.

A Russian court found Mr Allison guilty of the offence and fined him 2000 roubles – about £40 – and his visa has been revoked . . . meaning he cannot return to Russia for another five years.

Mr Allison said: “They were all lovely people . . . the customs and the port people and the boys from the coastguard and the people in court.

“I think the judge was being very fair since she had to comply with Russian law.”

The delay of about ten days caused by the legal proceedings means Mr Allison now faces a perilous voyage around the North Cape of Norway much later in the year than he would have hoped.

Mr Allison has to wait until tomorrow to pay his fine and expects to leave for England the following day.

His son James, speaking from the family home in Middleton Tyas, told of his relief.

He said: “It could have been a lot worse. In 2007, they shot a Japanese fisherman dead who had entered Russian water illegally.

“I think he’s more bothered that he’s being held up when the weather’s turning, and because he’s been banned from Russia for five years.”

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