Jack Shepherd, known for the speedboat death of Charlotte Brown, has pleaded guilty to assaulting his new partner with barbecue tongs and other acts of violence, a year after his release from prison. The 38-year-old entered his pleas via prison video link at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday.
Shepherd's New Assault Convictions
The court heard that Shepherd admitted to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and damaging property. These offences occurred in February and June of the previous year, leading to Shepherd's recall to prison. He entered his guilty pleas from HMP Swaleside in Kent.
Details of the Assaults
Prosecutors confirmed Shepherd's admission to pinning down the woman and punching her in February. In June, he struck her with barbecue tongs after becoming angered by a pizza being burned during a barbecue. The same month, he admitted to damaging her keys. Two other allegations, of controlling or coercive behaviour and intentional suffocation, were dropped by the prosecution.
Background to Shepherd's Incarceration
Shepherd was originally sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter in 2018 following the death of 24-year-old Charlotte Brown. Ms Brown died when the speedboat Shepherd was piloting crashed on the River Thames during what was their first date. Shepherd had absconded to Georgia before his extradition back to the UK. He was released on licence in January 2024, but his licence was revoked in September 2024 due to accusations of violence.
Sentencing and Future Release
Judge Martin Edmunds KC remanded Shepherd into custody pending a sentencing hearing scheduled for September. The judge has also requested a probation report detailing Shepherd’s conduct during his period of freedom in 2024 and the first half of 2025. Shepherd informed the court that his earliest release date for his manslaughter sentence is January 2029.
