A MAN who crashed his speedboat into a 15-year-old kayaker near Milford Haven was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, in the first prosecution by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) under new watercraft safety legislation.

Adam Russell (28), of Murrays Mews, Burton, Milford Haven, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on January 22, 2026 over a life-threatening incident which took place on August 11, 2024 on the River Cleddau.

In addition to the suspended prison term, Russell must complete 15 hours of required activity; 200 hours unpaid work; and pay his victim a total of £1,676 in compensation for damage to property and personal injury, plus £3,000 prosecution costs.

Swansea Crown Court heard how the crash near Milford Haven wrecked the teenage boy's one-person kayak and left him with cuts and bruising to his arms and lower lip. He has not returned to water sports since the terrifying experience.

Moments before the impact, Russell had been seated steering a single-engine, duo-prop speedboat, White Mischief, upstream at unsafe speeds of up to 25mph which lifted the bow and obscured his vision. He was carrying six passengers, including children.

Coming in the opposite direction was the 15-year-old victim, in a group with his father and friends in brightly coloured kayaks and wearing red personal floatation devices.

The young kayaker spotted Russell’s vessel approaching near Rudders Boatyard, well known as a busy location for moorings and leisure activities.

The teenager tried to paddle out of the way but, unable to see the danger, Russell changed course and struck the kayak, driving over the victim and throwing him into the water.

The MCA led the prosecution with support from Dyfed Powys Police and Milford Haven Port Authority.

Judge Geraint Walters said: “Just like our roads, our seas and our rivers are not playgrounds. They are required by all of us to recognise the risk to others innocently going about their business.”

MCA Investigator Paul Atkins said: "This case shows the importance of keeping a proper lookout and operating safely… if circumstances had been only slightly different, there could have been a terrible tragedy.

He added that the prosecution “sends a clear signal that people flouting the requirements that keep us all safe on the water are liable to be held accountable for their actions.”

Port of Milford Haven Harbourmaster Mike Ryan said: “The incident on the Milford Haven Waterway was extraordinarily dangerous with a very real threat to life, yet it was also completely avoidable.

“We support the MCA’s decision to prosecute the defendant for failing to keep an effective lookout. It is an important reminder that not only do Waterway users have a responsibility to keep themselves and any passengers safe, but also a responsibility towards every other user of the Waterway.

“Keeping watch is one of the most important aspects of staying safe afloat: look ahead, look behind and look left and right, adjust your speed as necessary and take early, clear and decisive action to avoid collisions.”