David Taylor admitted causing criminal damage to two boats (Picture: North News)

A man cut the ropes docking a £450,000 motorboat to a quayside after catching his girlfriend on board with his love rival, a court heard.

Hannah Brookes screamed and cried in terror as she and Michael Hay drifted away from shore – after her boyfriend David Taylor saw them on board.

Sadiq Khan 'wants to impose tougher London lockdown by Monday'

Taylor, 55, claims he spotted Miss Brookes, 26, performing a sex act on Mr Hay but accidentally released the yacht, named Coco, from Newcastle’s Quayside as he tried to get her attention.

The electrician also released a smaller £100,000 Sealine boat also owned by Mr Hay during the incident on November 29 last year.




Taylor, of Trimdon Grange, County Durham, pleaded guilty to one count of causing £1,500 worth criminal damage to the electrical cables on Coco and one count of causing £11,490 worth of criminal damage to the Vortex.

Hannah Brookes is at the centre of the bizarre incident (Picture: North News)

Taylor and Miss Brookes had been celebrating his birthday when they had a row and she left the party to board Mr Hay’s boat.

But her boyfriend had followed her to the pontoon and allegedly saw Miss Brookes performing the sex act through the porthole – which Mr Hay denies.

Matt Hancock warns UK is at 'tipping point' for more lockdown measures

Giving evidence at Newcastle Magistrates Court, Mr Hay said: ‘I was aware of him crouching on the pontoon looking into my boat.

I thought that he was spying on Hannah – I said to her ‘don’t look’.

‘Then she said ‘Mike we’re moving’ and it was then that I realised that he had cut the rope.

‘Hannah was screaming and crying saying ‘are we going to die’ so I told her to shut up.’

Michael Hay denied that anything sexual had taken place (Picture: North News)

They were eventually helped back to shore after Mr Hay called for police, coastguard, fire crews and fellow sailors.

Taylor said: ‘Me and Hannah had a drink. She handed me her phone and I went through it and saw texts between her and Mike.

Man in his 30s dies after being stabbed in the chest

‘I saw her run across the road and down to Coco. I went down to the pontoon to see if she was okay.

‘I looked through the porthole. Hannah was sitting on the chair and he was standing up in front of her.

‘I was clearly concerned for her at that point. I tried to attract her attention but the TV was too loud so I started to rock the boat. There was no malice there.’

Coco floated away with Mr Hay and Miss Brookes on board (Picture: North News)

However, magistrates ruled that he deliberately damaged the two boats.

Chair of the Bench Carolynn Hislop told Taylor: ‘The Bench are of the opinion that this was an intentional action.

Pubs and bars 'could close next week' as Boris Johnson urged 'act now'

‘We all agree that you deliberately caused this damage.

‘The next hearing will go to crown court for sentencing purposes.’

Taylor was bailed until his sentencing on October 5.