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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Sami Quadri

Speedboat death family ‘outraged’ over early release

The family of a woman killed when she was thrown from a speedboat while on a date with its owner say it is “outrageous” he could be freed from prison.

Charlotte Brown, 24, died when she fell from Jack Shepherd’s boat into the Thames in December 2015.

Shepherd, 34, fled to Georgia ahead of his trial and was later extradited back to the UK. He was given a six-year determinate prison sentence after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence.

It has now been reported that he is likely to be released from prison next January.

Ms Brown’s father Graham said the impending release showed “how outrageous our criminal justice system is”.

He told The Sun: “The family is devastated. We will never get over it.

"She would have been 31 this month. We miss her terribly. Shepherd has shown no remorse."

A Ministry of Justice source told the Sun: “He has kept his head down and quietly done his time. He knows that a determinate sentence means his case doesn’t have to go to the Parole Board for its approval.

"If he behaves there’s no reason to keep him in jail beyond his halfway point. He’ll be free to simply walk out the door."

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