A man that is convicted of killing a woman in a speed boat crash on the River Thames left the country before his trial.
In July, Jack Shepherd was jailed for six years for the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown, 24, in 2015. However, the trial was held in his absence as he still remains at large.
Shepherd and Ms Brown met through a dating website called OkCupid. On their first date in December 2015 they had went for dinner at London’s Shard skyscraper before Shepherd took Ms Brown on his speed boat. On mobile phone footage that was filmed during the date Ms Brown could be heard shouting that they were going “so fast” as Shepherd drove at more than double the speed limit for boats.
The speedboat which Shepherd told police was to pull women hit a submerged log and tipped over, it sprung them both into the water. Shepherd was found clinging to the hull but Ms Brown was pulled from the water unconscious and she died in hospital.
His lawyers in mid-May were told by Shepherd that he would not be attending the trial at Old Bailey but the Crown Prosecution Service only found out a week before the trail began. During the trial his defence team said they did not know where he was, but his solicitor had maintained telephone contact with him.
It has been said that where is records of Shepard being in Tbilisi, Georgia since March but no sign of him leaving that country. The Met Police and the Home Office declined to comment on his whereabouts.
Miss Brown’s family are due to meet Home Secretary Sajid Javid on Tuesday to discuss what has been done since Shepherd was convicted.
Judge Richard Marks QC released the 31-year-old on unconditional bail, but Shepherd failed to show up for his three-week trial at the Old Bailey in July. He was found guilty of the manslaughter by gross negligence of Miss Brown. Following his conviction an international arrest warrant was issued meaning other law enforcements agencies across the world have been alerted.
If Shepherd is found in the UK, he will be sent straight to custody to start serving his six-year sentence. Shepherd also requested permission to appeal against his sentence, but this was refused by the Court of Appeal.
