Jack Shepherd, infamously known as the “Speedboat Killer,” has been released from prison today after serving just five years behind bars for the tragic death of his Tinder date, Charlotte Brown. The incident involved a booze-fueled high-speed crash on the River Thames, followed by Shepherd fleeing the country.
The harrowing incident occurred in December 2015 when Charlotte Brown, 24, lost her life during a high-speed ride on Shepherd’s defective speedboat, passing the Houses of Parliament. Before the fatal ride, Shepherd had wined and dined her at a restaurant in the Shard, using a seduction routine he had practised on multiple other women.
Tragedy struck when Charlotte was thrown from the 14ft speedboat and subsequently drowned. Shepherd, on the other hand, was rescued from the water.
Shepherd initially absconded to Georgia and was subsequently tried in his absence at the Old Bailey in July 2018. He was ultimately sentenced to six years in prison for manslaughter by gross negligence.
Ten months later, Shepherd surrendered himself and was returned to the UK to begin serving his sentence. However, his legal troubles did not end there, as he was handed an additional four-year prison term for assaulting a barman with a vodka bottle in a Devon hotel.
Shepherd’s release from prison today was automatic, as he had completed just half of his combined sentence for the two offences.
The case had been marked by Shepherd’s initial claims that Charlotte was at the helm when the boat capsized, suggesting her partial responsibility. However, a witness from a riverside flat challenged his narrative, stating that she saw a single figure at the boat’s helm, looking into the water, just before the collision with a pier.
Charlotte, originally from Clacton, Essex, was found to be slightly over the drink-drive limit after her body was recovered. Meanwhile, Shepherd, a website designer, appeared to be under the influence of alcohol at the time, according to rescuers.
The tragedy prompted an emotional response from Charlotte’s family. Her father, Graham Brown, had previously expressed his concerns about Shepherd’s release, emphasizing the unanswered questions surrounding the incident. Her mother, Roz Wickens, expressed ongoing anguish over the loss of her daughter, stating that she may never know the full truth about that fateful night.
As Jack Shepherd begins his life outside of prison, questions about the incident, accountability, and justice continue to linger. The case serves as a poignant reminder of the profound impact of such tragedies on the lives of victims’ families and the complexities of the legal system in addressing them.
