"In hot pursuit of the Mekon, were we, sir?"

[major_clanger]

A speed boat captain called Dan Dare flooded a yacht with his wake as he rocketed down the Thames to pick up a friend on his party boat.

Daniel Dare, 36, doused the crew of a Dutch boat as he flew over the water at up to 34 knots - three times the river's speed limit.

Onlookers called the river's traffic managers as the rented rigid-hulled inflatable boat known as a rib roared by, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.

Tim Williamson, prosecuting, said Dare was in a rush to meet a friend at midday at Festival Pier, where the pair planned to set off on in the £150,000 vessel they had rented from London Party Boats.

...

Steven Fitzpatrick, for Dare, said his client is currently sofa surfing as he finds it difficult to obtain work because of his name.

Dan Dare was a 1950s science fiction comic hero, often described as 'Biggles in Space.'

'You can imagine the difficult his name, Dan Dare, causes when facing future employers, and the difficulty he has explaining this,' Steven Fitzpatrick said.

'And on this occasion, you can imagine being asked by the authorities who the master of the vessel was, and his reply being 'Dan Dare.''

I have to agree with Mr Fitzpatrick here. I rather suspect the Marine Policing Unit may have indulged in a little light sarcasm after Mr Dare gave his name.

Comments

[legionseagle]

I cannot help feeling that deed polls are cheap and convenient for these purposes (though I understand those with unspent convictions may be precluded from using them).

[major_clanger]

It can certainly be made a requirement of a sex offence prevention order that the subject must inform the authorities of any change of name, but I don't think it can be prevented, be it for sex offenders or offenders in general. Without going into details, I've done a case where it seems that someone with a conviction for fraud subsequently changed name.

[legionseagle]

In that case, without being ruder to your profession than necessary, how can someone legitimately make a submission that their client is being disadvantaged by a name he could easily change?

[major_clanger]

Well, I might make the submission if challenged on that point that Mr Dare is equally entitled to want to retain the name one was brought up with and should not be penalised or be subject to unfair prejudice for continuing to use it. But as others have noted, he could give his full name if asked to, or at least contrive to look suitable sheepish when doing so.

[redbird]

I suspect that he could reduce that problem, at least, by introducing himself as "Daniel" or "Danny" Dare, even if his parents were a Mr. and Mrs. Dare and the sort of smartasses who thought it was cute to put "Dan Dare" on their son's birth certificate.

[major_clanger]

I do wonder if perhaps he brings some of this on himself. I can imagine several ways the encounter between Mr Dare and the river police went, not all of them reflecting well on him.

[legionseagle]

Bearing in mind that the average speed of most river users will be between 4knt and 10knt, his behaviour is approximately equivalent to someone doing 100 mph down the principal shopping street of any given city. He's a dangerous jerk who was clearly driving recklessly and if he'd had his druthers should be banged up for two years min.

[major_clanger]

Hell yes. Even Clarkson of current infamy was careful to keep to the appropriate speed limits when taking a fast boat down the Thames during the Top Gear cross-London travel challenge.*

(*You know, the one where they sent The Stig via public transport...)

[major_clanger]

Also, given what I read about Eel Pie Island I am a little surprised that Mr Dare gives it as his address. If he is 'sofa surfing' there then he must have some quite well-off friends with vacant sofas.

As an aside, I am trying to imagine using the phrase 'sofa surfing' in front of some of the judges I appear before. My mind's eye got as far as Her Honour Judge T______ and her likely reaction to such a term and I now need to have a stiff drink and lie down.

[hairyears]

So he exceeded the speed limit by the Mekon Delta-vee?

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Poor chap: that was unkind of his parents.

[ladymoonray.livejournal.com]

Is there a reason why he can't just change his name?

[major-clanger.livejournal.com]

No, and I suspect that the truth is that he may not resent his moniker as much as his lawyer suggests.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Some parents!

I recall teaching a lad who'd been lumbered with Sean Lamb!

[dorispossum.livejournal.com]

snork! :0

presumably his parents were either OBSESSIVE SF fans, or knew absolutely nothing about genre. But at least he's not Fifi Trixibelle...

[jemck.livejournal.com]

if it's that much of a problem, Mr Dare can change his name. That said, his parents do deserve a slap.

These things can be overcome regardless. My erstwhile colleague Ron Mcdonald was proof of that - very good at his job and endlessly patient with people's reactions, all the more impressive given he was softly spoken and really rather shy.

[marypcb.livejournal.com]

currently sofa surfing
£150,000 party boat

hmmm ;)