Charlotte Brown death: Speedboat owner guilty of killing date

Jack Shepherd skipped bail and went on the run before the start of his Old Bailey trial but was convicted in his absence of killing his date he met online.

He regularly used the small red speedboat to "pull women" even though it lacked basic safety features and was an "accident waiting to happen".

The 30-year-old caused the death of Charlotte Brown, 24, from Welling, when they both went flying into the water after hitting a floating tree trunk while travelling at twice the speed limit.

He breached his duty of care to her by letting Charlotte take the wheel without wearing a life jacket or having a "kill cord" attached to switch off the engine if she went overboard.

The steering wheel was also not fully responsive and needed to be moved extra degrees to steer in the right direction.

The pair had dined at the Shard where they downed two bottles of red wine, having met for the first time in person just hours earlier.

After getting a taxi to Shepherd's houseboat in Hammersmith at around 9.15pm on December 8, 2015, the pair went to see the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.

After drinking some more wine the pair jumped into his speedboat and downed champagne, which he used "as part of his seduction ritual".

On the return journey Shepherd and Charlotte swapped places so she could steer.

But as she tried to avoid construction barges at speed she swerved and struck the log and the boat capsized.

Shepherd's calls for help were heard by residents near Plantation Wharf at around 11.45pm and the Met's riverboats, police helicopter, the Coastguard, and the London Fire Brigade alerted.

Charlotte, also known as Charli, was pulled from the water between Putney Bridge and Wandsworth Bridge at around 12.10am after floating upstream.

She died later that morning in hospital, the cause of death was given as cold water immersion, a post mortem revealed.

Shepherd managed to cling to the boat and was also hypothermic when he was found by rescuers in the river clutching the upturned bow.

MORE: Dad searches for answers into daughter’s death in Thames speedboat crash

The 14ft vessel's windscreen suffered from "crazing" which made it hard to see through and the driver had to sit on the back of the seat to get a clear view.

Also, the wooden planks under the driver's seat were rotten, jurors were told.

Shepherd was twice warned about safety and speed on the Thames as he took out girls just months before causing the death of Charlotte.

At the Old Bailey today a jury found him guilty of manslaughter after 25 hours and four minutes of deliberating.

As the foreman returned the verdict. Charlotte's family quietly cheered and then some members sobbed in the public gallery.

MORE: Family pay tribute to 'beautiful' young woman, who died after tragic Thames speedboat date

Judge Richard Marks QC then told the jury Shepherd had absconded days before the trial.

He said: "It's appropriate for the jury should be told why he has not been in attendance over he last four weeks.

"He chose to not to attend this trial and absconded.

"It is appropriate he is given a chance to attend his sentencing but if he does not I will sentence in his absence."

Shepherd will be sentenced tomorrow.