Police called to break-up drunken harbour brawls

Jun 24 2009 by Julie Watt, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

POLICE were called to a tiny Galloway village after violence erupted on a pleasure cruise on Saturday.

Around 500 passengers were onboard the Balmoral cruise liner when it docked at the Galloway port of Garlieston just before 10pm.

It was returning from a day trip to the Isle of Man when “several disturbances” flared in and around the harbour.

Around 10 police officers attempted to restore disorder after the drink-fuelled disturbance.

A police spokesman said the incidents occurred at the end of the pleasure trip.

He said: “We received a call for police to be at the terminal when the Balmoral docked. We had reports of antisocial behaviour which was fuelled by alcohol. As the boat docked a number of disturbances took place in and around the harbour area and police attempted to restore order. There were some 500 passengers, including families and young children, on the boat when the fights broke out .”

And according to the police the drunk revellers were lucky not to have fallen in the water.

He said: “There is a lot of dangers associated with drinking on a boat and it is sheer luck that no one fell into the water or was not more seriously injured.

“There could have been much bigger implications which does not bear thinking about.”

Police are seeking assistance in identifying those who were involved in the fracas.

“Garlieston is a very small village and this scale of disturbance is unheard of.

“The trip takes place once a year between the Galloway coast and the Isle of Man but this year it ended in trouble.

“It took ten police officers to restore order but unfortunately no arrests were made due to the scale of the problem,” the spokesman added.

Waverley Excursions were unavailable for comment. To contact police call 0845 600 5701.