Speedboat killer who attacked girlfriend with barbecue tongs gets 20-month jail sentence

Jack Shepherd pictured in a court in Georgia in 2019 AFP/Getty Michael Howie , Senior News Editor 1 minute ago Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has been jailed for 20 months for violently assaulting his girlfriend, including scarring her with a set of barbecue tongs.

The 39-year-old was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court , west London, on Monday morning.

Shepherd pleaded guilty in July to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and damaging property.

He admitted pinning down the woman and punching her in February 2025, striking her in the chest with barbecue tongs in June 2025, and damaging her keys in that same month.

He was originally jailed for six years for manslaughter in 2018 over the death of 24-year-old Charlotte Brown when his speedboat crashed during a first date.

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Shepherd skipped his Old Bailey trial while on the run in Georgia, before he was eventually extradited back to the UK to serve his sentence.

He was set free on licence in January 2024, but faced recall to prison in September last year after he was accused of violence towards a new partner.

A court artist sketch of Jack Shepherd appearing via video link at Isleworth Crown Court PA Wire According to a prosecution summary of the case, he started dating the woman – who is in her 50s – in August 2024, but towards the end of the year she accused him of being abusive and threatening.

In February 2025, Shepherd admitted pinning down the woman and “punching her several times, causing bruising to her arm and top of leg” during an argument.

In the second incident, in June 2025, Shepherd got angry with his partner for burning a pizza during a barbecue, and “proceeded to hit her with the barbecue tongs on her left breast which caused a permanent scar”.

In his manslaughter trial, the court heard that Shepherd, a web developer, met Ms Brown, from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, for a first date, and offered to take her on a ride along the River Thames on his speedboat.

Charlotte Brown died after a speedboat date in December 2015 PA They had both been drinking champagne, and Shepherd handed the controls of the boat to Ms Brown just before it struck a submerged tree and overturned, tipping both of them into the cold water.