HARBOUR commissioners in Falmouth have launched a stinging rebuke against allegations of misconduct by the group’s harbour master Mark Sansom.

Captain Sansom faced criticism last week after it was revealed in satirical magazine Private Eye how he and his wife each own ten per cent of the shares in Triskel Marine Ltd (TML), who were helping provide monitoring equipment for a trial dredge in Falmouth harbour.

Now, despite insisting he made no money from the shares, and despite having had no involvement in hiring Triskel for the work, Captain Sansom has announced he and his wife will sell their shares to avoid any further allegations of impropriety.

Falmouth Harbour Commissioners chairman David Ellis said: “Faced with what I can only describe as an orchestrated and very personal campaign against him over several years, and a story and headline last week which could be construed – quite wrongly – as suggesting impropriety, Captain Sansom has informed the board of FHC that he and his wife have taken the decision to sell their shares in Triskel Marine Limited, with the proceeds going to charity.

“While I understand the decision I am frankly appalled that someone of Captain Samson’s integrity should feel it necessary to take such a course of action when he has done absolutely nothing wrong and has never profited in any way from transactions between Falmouth Harbour Commissioners and Triskel Marine Limited.

“However, he feels that the continued allegations being made against him, which have unfairly involved his family, employers and directors of Triskel Marine Limited, have become too great a distraction from his important role of managing the harbour and working towards its long term prosperity.

“There will no doubt be those that will see his decision to sell his shares as some sort of admission of guilt or wrongdoing. I, along with my fellow Harbour Commissioners, would like to place on record that nothing could be further from the truth. Captain Sansom has the full confidence and support of the board for all that he does for Falmouth, and for the exemplary way in which he conducts himself and the office of harbourmaster and chief executive.”