08-23-2007, 11:17 AM
A MAN accused of being drunk at the wheel when his boat ran aground near the Prime Minister's Sydney residence says his wife was at the helm.
In the Downing Centre Local Court today, Jamie Bernard Henderson said police at no stage asked if he was steering the boat when it crashed at Kirribilli Point, sparking a security scare.
He agreed he was taken to a police station, where his breathalyser test gave an alcohol reading of 0.095.
Mr Henderson also agreed he then told police: "I'm f**ked;**ked&**ked" and "I accept I'm gone".
But he denied a suggestion by prosecutor Matt Baker that he meant he was "f**ked;**ked&**ked" in respect of the offence of operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol.
"I felt responsible as the owner of the vessel," Mr Henderson said.
He said he felt morally responsible as the owner, as a husband and as the most competent person on the boat.
Mr Henderson, 35, a mobile crane company director, of Prospect in Sydney's west, has pleaded not guilty to operating a vessel with a blood-alcohol reading of 0.095 and navigating negligently.
His cruiser ran aground on May 21 last year.
Mr Henderson told the court his wife, who had a boat licence for 10 years, was sober and behind the wheel at the time.
"I was not the driver of the boat," he replied, when Mr Baker suggested he was lying.
Mr Baker also suggested that Mr Henderson would have known that it was not an offence to have been drinking if he was the owner of a vessel but someone else was driving.
"On the night I did feel I was responsible, that I was in charge of the vessel (as owner)," he said.
Mr Baker asked Mr Henderson if he agreed he made no comment on the way to the police station to alert them to the fact he was not the skipper.
"I was not given an opportunity," Mr Henderson said.
"Were you gagged?" Mr Baker asked, to which Mr Henderson replied: "No".
Mr Henderson said he signed a police document after the breathalyser test without reading it, as "I was doing what I was told".
He was anxious to get back to his wife, after a friend phoned him on his mobile to say police were physically removing her from the boat.
Mr Henderson said he could hear her screaming.
The hearing is continuing.
News Limited
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In the Downing Centre Local Court today, Jamie Bernard Henderson said police at no stage asked if he was steering the boat when it crashed at Kirribilli Point, sparking a security scare.
He agreed he was taken to a police station, where his breathalyser test gave an alcohol reading of 0.095.
Mr Henderson also agreed he then told police: "I'm f**ked;**ked&**ked" and "I accept I'm gone".
But he denied a suggestion by prosecutor Matt Baker that he meant he was "f**ked;**ked&**ked" in respect of the offence of operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol.
"I felt responsible as the owner of the vessel," Mr Henderson said.
He said he felt morally responsible as the owner, as a husband and as the most competent person on the boat.
Mr Henderson, 35, a mobile crane company director, of Prospect in Sydney's west, has pleaded not guilty to operating a vessel with a blood-alcohol reading of 0.095 and navigating negligently.
His cruiser ran aground on May 21 last year.
Mr Henderson told the court his wife, who had a boat licence for 10 years, was sober and behind the wheel at the time.
"I was not the driver of the boat," he replied, when Mr Baker suggested he was lying.
Mr Baker also suggested that Mr Henderson would have known that it was not an offence to have been drinking if he was the owner of a vessel but someone else was driving.
"On the night I did feel I was responsible, that I was in charge of the vessel (as owner)," he said.
Mr Baker asked Mr Henderson if he agreed he made no comment on the way to the police station to alert them to the fact he was not the skipper.
"I was not given an opportunity," Mr Henderson said.
"Were you gagged?" Mr Baker asked, to which Mr Henderson replied: "No".
Mr Henderson said he signed a police document after the breathalyser test without reading it, as "I was doing what I was told".
He was anxious to get back to his wife, after a friend phoned him on his mobile to say police were physically removing her from the boat.
Mr Henderson said he could hear her screaming.
The hearing is continuing.
News Limited
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