At a hearing yesterday in Folkestone Magistrates Court, the owner of a coaster pleaded guilty to three Merchant Shipping safety offences following a collision with the East Goodwin Light Vessel on 27th February 2007. The Antigua and Barbuda registered coaster, Jerome H, was on passage from Dagenham in Essex to Belfast in Northern Ireland. In the early hours of the 27th February 2007, the vessel struck the East Goodwin Light Vessel. The collision seriously damaged the light vessel which had to be removed from station for repairs. The Jerome H continued on to Belfast. Investigations showed that the Mate was alone on the bridge. He had been doing paperwork on an aft facing desk in the moments leading up to the collision.