UK Certificate of Competency candidate forged proof of sea-time certificates, later found out, fined & subject to commital
At a hearing at Southampton Magistrates Court, Boorzeen Murzban Dantra was fined a total of £7,603.21 including costs and a victim surcharge. He had pleaded guilty to charges relating to breaches of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 and Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981.
In January 2011 Dantra had applied to sit an Orals Examination for a Masters Certificate of Competency (CoC). The application was supported by discharge certificates and watchkeeping certificates showing service on two anchor handling vessels and totalled 19 months. This was accepted and the appropriate documentation was issued.
In early October 2011, Dantra came to the attention of the Enforcement Unit of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Based on information received, checks showed that, in fact, Dantra had been serving on an Offshore Floating Storage Unit (FSO). The owners of the anchor handling vessels confirmed that Dantra had never worked on one of their vessels. The discharge and watchkeeping certificates provided by Dantra were therefore fraudulent.
When interviewed Dantra admitted that he had been working on the FSO rather than the anchor handlers. Investigations showed that his time on the FSO did not fulfil the sea time requirements to sit the exam for his Masters CoC.
Dantra was charged with submitting a false application contrary to section 47 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 and two charges of using a false instrument contrary to section 3 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981.
Dantra pleaded guilty to all charges and was fined £7,603.21 in total.He was given until the 18 October 2012 to pay; this penalty is subject to a 90 day committal order.