A speedboat skipper who crashed into a 15ft buoy and killed his schoolgirl passenger has been cleared of manslaughter after claiming he momentarily lost his vision 'like a sneeze'.
'Respected' mariner Michael Lawrence, who was nicknamed 'Mr Safe', was today found guilty at Winchester Crown Court of failing to maintain a proper lookout and failing to maintain a safe speed during the fatal boat trip 15 on Southampton Water in 2020.
Lawrence said he felt like couldn't see for a 'split second' although jurors heard the 'massive' navigation buoy would have been visible for 14 seconds.
A court has heard the 55-year-old, who took a selfie during the trip, drove straight into the fixed, metal buoy at 36.6kts (42.2mph), killing 15-year-old Emily Lewis and leaving other passengers badly injured.
Emily suffered 'unsurvivable' chest injuries when she was crushed against a metal handle on the trip with her sister and parents.
Nikki and husband Simon Lewis had taken their daughters Emily and Amy on the Seadogz Ltd speedboat ride on Southampton Water, Hants, on August 22 in 2020 as a 'treat' following lockdown.
A total of 11 passengers were treated at hospital, with Mrs Lewis suffering a broken wrist, Amy suffering a broken arm, and Emily dying later that day from her chest injuries.
He claimed a Covid mask blew up and blocked his vision - later changing his story to say he suffered vision loss - while prosecutors alleged his driving was 'extremely dangerous' and his actions were 'truly exceptionally bad'.
Today, at Winchester Crown Court, Hants, Lawrence, of Blackfield, in Hampshire's New Forest, was cleared of manslaughter after a jury deliberated for around 12 hours at the end of a four week trial.
Suited Lawrence wept as he was cleared of manslaughter. Emily's father Mr Lewis kept a blank face from the public gallery.
However, Lawrence was convicted of two safety charges - failure to maintain a proper lookout and failure to proceed at a safe speed - and will be sentenced at a later date
The jury continues to deliberate on whether Seadogz Rib Charter Ltd owner Michael Howley, 52, from Hordle, Hants, is guilty of one safety charge he faces.
During the four week trial, Mrs Lewis described Emily as a 'happy young lady' who was looking forward to the 60 minute RIB ride, but she criticised the pre-ride safety briefing as 'wishy-washy' and 'not as professional' as those she'd had before.
Mr Lewis described the ride as 'violent' while Mrs Lewis said Lawrence did 'nothing to help their daughter' after the crash as her lips turned blue and she and Amy screamed for help.
It was heard the highly experienced and qualified skipper paced up and down the boat after the crash talking on his phone, stepping over injured passengers who he failed to assist. He told the court he had been in shock.
Opening the case, prosecutor Christine Agnew KC said: "This was to be a high thrills ride.
"Tragically it was both a high thrills and ultimately an extremely dangerous ride which ended with the death of Emily.
Ms Agnew KC continued: "Lawrence was heard to say on a number of occasions both on the day and later that the face mask he had been wearing had blown up and covered his eyes resulting in his temporary blindness."
Ms Agnew KC said Lawrence changed his account in the following days.
"The Crown's case is that the actions of Lawrence that August afternoon were truly exceptionally bad, grossly negligent and caused the death of Emily," she said.
Of Howley, Ms Agnew KC said: "Howley, by failing to ensure that his RIB was operated in a safe manner, i.e. by not having in place policies and procedures which would adequately protect the passengers, is also guilty of an albeit less serious offence."
The court heard neither Lawrence or Howley 'appears to have been aware' of a widely-promoted guidance on 'Passenger Safety on Small Commercial High-Speed Craft and Experience Ride' - something that should have been 'highly relevant'.
Lawrence held qualifications including an advanced powerboat course, an advanced powerboat instructor course, and had served in the RNLI for 20 years - even receiving a letter of thanks from a senior RNLI figure after his role as on-scene commander in an extensive search for a missing ferry passenger.
On the ride, Emily was placed in the middle due to her age and being the smallest on board. Her feet could not touch the floor and there were no seatbelts.
The court heard the Lewis' felt Lawrence 'took corners really sharply and felt 'uncomfortable and not safe' as he drove 'too fast', reaching speeds of up to 47.8 knots (55mph).
Ms Agnew KC said Emily suffered brain damage and her family was told she was 'unlikely to survive' before they made the 'unspeakably hard decision to turn off her life support machine'.
Describing the aftermath, Amy told the court her dying sister said 'I just want to go home, I just want to go home' as she drifted in and out of consciousness.
She said she later realised Emily was going to die when her father began crying at hospital as 'dad doesn't cry'.
The court heard after the incident, Lawrence told several people - including wife Karen - his mask had blown over his eyes. However, he later gave conflicting accounts and retracted that, the jury was told.
The court heard Lawrence 'repeatedly' told first responders wind had 'blown his face mask over his eyes' and obstructed his view and claimed he was only travelling 25 knots.
He said: "I didn't believe anything I was doing was unsafe."
Lawrence broke down as he said: "I don't ever remember seeing the buoy and I do not know what caused it, I'm sorry.
"All I can remember is I came around the turn, straightened the boat up, and felt a little bit lightheaded maybe. Then I lost my vision, then it came back.
"I don't know how to explain it, I referred to it as like [the length of] a sneeze. It was a split second."
Lawrence told the court his 'brain was jumbled' and has hazy memories about the immediate aftermath following the crash.
When Howley gave evidence, he said precautions were always taken to protect passengers and he had prepared a risk assessment to meet the requirement of insurance companies.
