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‘Avid fisherman’ missing during trip France Declared dead due to an accident 20 years ago Judge found that he had actually drowned in English channel In a suspected botched drug smuggling operation
kent Father Anthony Dugdale, 43, disappeared after towing a car to Calais. Speedboat in france ferry I met a friend in April 2004 and haven’t heard from him since.
His Mercedes was later found abandoned near the coast on the Belgian side of the French border, but the boat was never found.
Although the disappearance initially focused on the two being fishing friends, police later turned their attention to drugs. evidence Cooperation with dealers emerged.
Now, to high court Dugdale’s son Danny announces his father’s death Judge It was ruled that he actually died at sea in April 2004.
Judge Karen Schumann Master says evidence A police investigation revealed that Dugdale was “not a competent seaman” and had previously been rescued from another attempt to cross the Channel, but he drowned after trying to cross the Channel in an inappropriate manner. Speedboat and was hit by a container ship.
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The court heard Dugdale, from Orpington, kentHave been to France Together with friend Richard Patwell from Alloa, Scotland, he brought a speedboat he had recently purchased for £11,000 cash.
Passenger records show they were on a SeaFrance flight ferrybut did not use their return tickets and the vehicle was later discovered near the Belgian-French border. A boat cover was found on the vehicle, but there was no sign of the speedboat.
Despite extensive inquiries and public appeals focusing on the search for the two “keen anglers”, Messrs Dugdale and Patwell were never found.
The mystery is finally solved high court This week Dugdale’s son in the US applied for a declaration of death in order to administer his father’s £33,000 estate.
Lawyer John Davis, representing the son, told the judge that police had conducted a thorough investigation and concluded that Dugdale traveled to France to smuggle drugs across the Channel.
“Police concluded that Mr Dugdale traveled to France at night on an unsuitable vessel to import drugs into the UK,” he said.
“There are strong and credible implications that both were involved in the illegal drug trade and import across the English Channel.”
The lawyer said that when he purchased the speedboat, he gave the seller the impression that he did not know how to row or how to maintain the engine.
The vessel itself was not suitable for traversing busy sea lanes and was generally only usable within two miles of the coast, while the Dugdale also had a petrol tank on top of its rear support, making the vessel unstable.
He said he and Mr Patwell also turned off their mobile phones before arriving in Dover, making it impossible for the mobile mast evidence to trace them.
There is also some evidence of distress calls being sent from the English Channel, describing engine failure and just avoiding being hit by a ship.
He went on to say that on the night they left the UK, French authorities discovered a handbag containing cannabis floating in the English Channel.
“If it wasn’t on the ship, it seems coincidental,” the lawyer said.
“Police concluded he was likely struck and sunk by a container ship.” English channel“.
Mr Davies said further evidence linking Dugdale to the crime was that he worked on a farm in Wales which police later discovered was a working cannabis production facility.
He was also caught in the English Channel a few months ago without a passport and suffering from hypothermia, along with another man who was later convicted of his involvement in a Welsh cannabis farm.
After delivering his verdict and announcing Dugdale’s death, the judge said: “The police have stated that a full investigation has been carried out and the case has been closed.
“They concluded that Anthony and Richard were smuggling drugs from France. They used cash to purchase a high-performance speedboat and trailer.
“They had switched off their phones before Dover. The car was found off the coast of Belgium.
“Police concluded that what actually happened was that Anthony and Richard attempted to cross the English Channel in a speedboat at night.
“They were probably hit and sunk by a container ship. The speedboat they were using was not suitable for crossing the very busy channel.
“On the evidence before me I am satisfied that Anthony did die in the English Channel at some stage between 7 and 9 April 2004.”
The ruling means that more than 20 years after Dugdale was last seen, his £33,000 estate can finally be properly administered.
The court heard he had a son Danny and possibly a daughter.
The whereabouts of his companion, Mr Patwell, were not part of the High Court case and no findings were made relating to him.