Speedboat killer loses appeal against manslaughter conviction

The speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has lost a Court of Appeal challenge against his conviction for the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown.

He was jailed for six years over the death of 24 year old Charlotte Brown from Clacton-on-Sea in Essex, who was thrown from his boat when it capsized on the River Thames during their first date in December 2015.

The 31-year-old web developer challenged his conviction for manslaughter by gross negligence at the court in London. His lawyers argued the conviction was unsafe because some of the evidence at his trial came from an interview during which he was not cautioned or offered a solicitor because of a "mistake" by police.

But his appeal was dismissed by Sir Brian Leveson and two other senior judges.

Shepherd, went on the run ahead of his Old Bailey trial and was convicted in his absence in July 2018. He was later extradited to the UK from Georgia after handing himself in to police.

After the decision Charlotte's family spoke of their relief - her twin sister Katie Brown saying that Jack "hasn't once shown any remorse or respect to our family, or to the legal system, or to even Charlie."