Regina v Carrick District Council, Ex parte Prankerd (The ‘Winnie Rigg’) - QBD (Lightman J) - 24 July 1998

Harbour Authority distraining on private yacht to enforce payment of arrears of mooring charges - Whether decision to distrain lawful - Whether mooring charges are ‘ship dues’ within meaning of Harbour Act 1964

The respondent harbour authority distrained upon the appellant’s yacht Winnie Rigg for arrears in payment of mooring fees. The appellant applied for judicial review of the Council’s decision to distrain, seeking a declaration that the decision was unlawful and void.