A BOAT club boss says he has been made to look like a “total and utter crook” after a council took him to court.

John Wilsdon, who owns Althorne’s Club Nautico, was prosecuted by Maldon District Council in December.

He was convicted of failing to comply with a breach of condition notice and an enforcement notice at Chelmsford Magistrates Court.

Sentencing was deferred until June by Chelmsford Crown Court earlier this month.

The council alleged that the 70-year-old owner of Bridgemarsh Marina hadn’t sought permission to turn the barge into a club.

Mr Wilsdon said: “I’ve been made out to look like an utter crook.

“Stressed locals talk of normal expected trade but also huge parties, helicopters and flares, nightclub strip shows, and rumours of bootleg landings from Belgium and drug smuggling from Morocco. It’s all village gossip and rumours.”

Mr Wilsdon said he did not think he needed planning permission for the club and accused the council of overreacting.

He blamed the probe into the club on the rumours circulating in the community.

He said: “I’m a local farmer and this is ludicrous action by the council – it’s absolute rubbish.

“It’s reputed to have been a fully blown nightclub.

“We were operating a yacht club without permission.

“It was just a technical mis-assumption.

“We just didn’t get permission. It’s a long story, but that’s not what’s interesting.

“What is interesting is the overreaction and the reporting that a local farmer is a complete and utter crook.

“When the inspector decided to look around, our prediction that we didn’t need planning was found to be wrong – it all came crashing down.”

Mr Wilsdon says he could now face a confiscation order enabling the authorities to recover any “proceeds of crime”.

He added: “Our yacht club, like most that are closing down on the River Crouch, did not make money.

“They are typically marina-sponsored to encourage boatie socialising and rely on members’ free labour to defray expenses.”

Maldon District Council declined to comment until after the crown court sentencing.