Jeremy Kane Piggott crashed into a boat, a navigation light and grounded yacht while having sex romp with deck hand Cheya Handley

A luxury Gold Coast yacht hired to A-listers for $1600 an hour crashed into another boat while the skipper and deck hand were having a sex romp, a court has been told.

A LUXURY yacht hired to A-listers for $1600 an hour crashed into another boat and navigation light while the skipper and deck hand were having a sex romp, a court has been told.

The offshore carnage caused $140,000 damage and put the yacht’s owners up ship creek as it was out of the water for four weeks undergoing repair, it was alleged.

Jeremy Kane Piggott, 46, pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday to two counts of master recklessly contravening his duty to ensure safety of vessels, marine safety equipment or operations.

On the deck of the Crystal Blue.

The intimate encounter also cost the 46-year-old skipper, who has 27 years experience in the marine industry, his part-time job with the boat’s owners, Crystal Blue Yacht Charters.

Documents tendered in court claim Piggott and deck hand Cheya Handley drank alcohol and had sex while bringing Crystal Blue back from a charter on the Brisbane River on March 3, 2018.

OTHER NEWS:

Ralan fail blows giant hole in council budget

Major boost for new ferry service

Disturbing surge in baby shaking injuries

During the 86km journey, it was alleged the yacht ran into a lit navigation beacon and another yacht moored in a channel near Steiglitz, on the northern end of the Gold Coast, just after midnight. Crystal Blue also became grounded more than once.

Ms Handley told police she and Piggott were drinking vodka and beer on the boat’s bow, it is claimed in court documents.

The Crystal Blue luxury charter yacht which Jeremy Piggott caused more than $140,000 worth of damage to.

“Ms Handley stated that (Piggott) took a series of photographs of her whilst she was standing on the bow,” it was alleged. “Ms Handley confirmed that also around this time she and the defendant engaged in a sexual encounter whilst the vessel was in operation.”

She told police the yacht ran aground while the pair were at the vessel’s helm, not while they were intimate.

The court documents claim Ms Handley told police she and the defendant had sex on the bow.

“Ms Handley further confirmed the vessel grounded itself in the south channel on more than one occasion and that nobody was keeping look out whilst she and (Piggott) engaged in sexual intercourse.”

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BULLETIN: $5 A MONTH FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS

The boat’s kitchen area.

Magistrate John Costanzo was not impressed by allegations that Piggott tried to manoeuvre the boat by remote control while being intimate with the deck hand. “I’m quite certain your (skippering) prowess did not extend to that,” he said.

Damage to Crystal Blue included a gouge to the ribbing strip and hull and other scratches and abrasions. It took four weeks to repair.

The Crystal Blue Yacht Charters website states the yacht costs more than $1600 an hour to charter and has previously hosted Canadian singer Shawn Mendes and a Victoria Secret model.

Magistrate Costanzo fined Piggott $4000 and placed him on a good behaviour bond for two years with 12 months probation.

Piggott’s lawyer Mark Williams, of Potts Lawyers, said in his written submissions that Piggott’s actions “were out of character”, he had lost his job and was now a self-employed boat manager.

Ms Handley will face court on December 2 on a charge of risking a person’s safety on a domestic commercial vessel.