A British speedboat killer starts his prison

LONDON: A man who killed his partner in an outboard boat crash and then fled Britain was sentenced to six years in prison on Thursday, April 11, after being found and extradited from the country. Former Soviet Georgia.

Jack Shepherd, 31, was described as a selfish coward by a judge at the Old Bailey court in London and sentenced to an additional six months in jail for his escape.

The web designer was sentenced in his absence last year for the death of Charlotte Brown, a 24-year-old woman to whom he entrusted his first outing with champagne on his fast boat on the Thames in London in 2015.

He had rolled more than twice the maximum speed allowed. She then followed suit on the return trip and hit a submerged log, tipping them both into the water.

Brown died in the hospital while Shepherd was saved.

Shepherd escaped to Georgia prior to her trial, who learned that he was responsible for the state of the motorboat. The ship had a series of serious faults, including with regard to driving.

He was found guilty of manslaughter for gross negligence and sentenced to six years in prison.

An international warrant was issued against him.

Shepherd appeared in court Thursday after his extradition from Georgia on Wednesday.

By taking a "conscious, deliberate and thoughtful decision" to flee, he had "tremendously added to the distress of Charlotte's family who could not know when, if any, you would be apprehended, you, the person who spent the last hours of his life with their beloved daughter and sister, "said the judge.

"Your behavior of being away from justice for so long was as cowardly as it was selfish," he added.

Sitting in court, Katie, Brown 's tearful sister, said: "As a family, we are relieved that Jack Shepherd is now back in the country and is starting to serve his sentence. Imprisonment is one more step towards justice for Charlie.

"I think that throughout the process, he continues to deny any responsibility, as he was almost convinced of his victim."

Earlier in court, Shepherd's lawyer, Andrew McGee, had declared that he was "terrified" by the prospect of a jail sentence and wished to apologize to Brown's family.

Shepherd is appealing his conviction.