London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

DPP breaks silence after ongoing case involving US fisherman gains international attention

DPP breaks silence after ongoing case involving US fisherman gains international attention

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), which has a policy not to comment on ongoing criminal cases, has broken its silence after a case involving an American fisherman began generating notable interest in international media.

The accused fisherman, Michael Foy, was charged after allegedly being caught in BVI waters with 7,000 pounds of fish on his vessel early last month.

Since then, reports from some US media outlets have made insinuations that the DPP has padded charges on to the accused man’s case file. One media report from the Miami Herald in the United States said Foy was “initially detained for illegal entry into the British Virgin Islands, but at his June hearing he was also unexpectedly charged with illegal fishing”.

“Friends and family say vessel-monitoring reports with video and GPS obtained from the vessel verify that Foy is telling the truth, that he didn’t fish in BVI waters. But his lawyer and family said they couldn’t share the reports with the Miami Herald because of the ongoing legal proceedings,” the report further read.


DPP cites its ‘facts’

In a subsequent statement on July 17, the DPP’s Office said it found it ‘necessary’ to issue a statement on what it describes as “the facts of the case”.

The DDP’s Office said that Foy was caught in the territorial waters near Peter and Norman Islands by Her Majesty’s Customs on June 8 this year. Foy, who was said to be captain of the vessel, was in the company of Indonesian nationals, who could not speak any English and were holders of C-11 Transit Visas, which is only applicable to persons working on a fishing vessel.

The DPP’s Office said the accused man admitted to Customs Officers that he was the captain of the vessel and claimed that he received permission to enter the territory.


Foy’s fish forfeited and resold

However, a probe by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force confirmed that “permission was sought and denied by the Chief Immigration Officer as the borders of the Territory were closed as part of the territory’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic”, the DPP said.

As a consequence, Foy was charged with ‘illegal entry’, ‘operating an unregistered and unlicensed foreign fishing vessel’, and ‘failing to arrive at a Customs Port’.

“Pursuant to the 2010 Customs and Duties Management Act the vessel was detained and the court made an order for the fish to be forfeited and resold to benefit the government pursuant to section 75 of the Fisheries Act, 1997 as amended,” the DPP’s Office stated.


No bail

The accused man was not granted bail because he has no connection or legal status in the BVI.

“As the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, it is our duty to ensure that the law is properly enforced, the relevant evidence is placed before the court, and the duties of the disclosure are complied with. We believe that all accused, victims and witnesses have a right to a fair trial and act in the interest of justice. Therefore, we will not issue any further comments on this matter,” the DPP’s statement concluded.


Free Foy

Meanwhile, a woman who goes by the Facebook name Kelly K Foy, who claims to be the sister of the accused man is seeking his release. At the time of the post on June 25, she said the last time she spoke to her brother, she told her brother was worried as he did not understand why he was detained.

“He has been commercial fishing out of Puerto Rico with his US flag vessel and legal crew members from Indonesia for several years. The crew is stuck on the boat all alone, and I’m sure they are scared themselves. Their boss and captain have been taken away,” she wrote.

She added: “Tortola has been a frequent stop to gain Customs clearance for the crew and then they would return to PR to offload. The fish are then shipped mainly to the US to all reputable companies. He is part of the food supply chain, and his vessel is my family’s livelihood.”

“The charges he is facing are outrageous, and ultimately it may come down to forfeiture of his vessel which would be like taking his soul away from him. Additionally, he’s looking at over a year in prison and $500,000 in fines. All for doing exactly what he’s done every three to four weeks for years!”


Attention from US senators

Meanwhile, other media reports are that Mr Foy’s story as attracted the attention of a few United States Senators who have reportedly have penned a letter to the Deputy Governor David Archer, Jr whose office has responisibilty over the local courts.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×