Two young Irish men arrested in connection with the theft of a fishing trawler which had to be rescued from the Irish Sea were released without charge today.
The men, aged 18 and 20, stole the trawler in Holyhead, Anglesey, on Saturday night after they missed the last ferry to Dublin.
They managed to sail the 30ft inshore trawler, named Le-Bon Heur, around ten miles out to sea but got lost and called the Irish Coastguard, hoping to be towed into their home port.
Instead they were rescued in a joint operation involving HM Coastguard, an RNLI lifeboat, an RAF helicopter and North Wales Police.
The pair were held for a short time then given cautions and released by North Wales Police.
They were later re-arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage after the boat's owner, 38-year-old Paul Jones, made a complaint that they had wrecked the engine of the £40,000 vessel.
They were questioned by officers but released without charge today.
A North Wales Police spokeswoman said: "The 18 and 20-year-old men arrested on suspicion of criminal damage have been released without charge." Mr Jones said he was "disgusted" by the decision.
He said: "The police told me that because this was their first offence and they are Irish, the courts here can't do much about it.
"Apparently, they can't put them in prison, they can't make them do community service and they can't make them pay me back any money.
"I'm just disgusted that there is this loophole in the law that has let them get away with stealing my boat, threatening my livelihood and causing a rescue that cost thousands of pounds.
"It is beyond belief."
The pair are thought to have returned to Dublin this afternoon.
Mr Jones said the initial estimate for repairs to his engine was at least £1,000, and would take the vessel out of action for a week.
He added: "They have obviously thrashed the engine, because there wasn't a drop of oil left in the sump.