Jack Shepherd, convicted of killing Charlotte Brown, had been on the run for six months

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A fugitive who was convicted of killing a woman in a speedboat crash on the Thames has been arrested in Georgia.

Jack Shepherd, 31, was sentenced in his absence to a six-year jail term for the manslaughter by gross negligence of 24-year-old Charlotte Brown. Police issued an arrest warrant after he failed to attend his trial at the Old Bailey in July.

In a statement, the Metropolitan police said: “We have received information from the National Crime Agency (NCA) that Jack Shepherd, who is wanted on an international arrest warrant, is in the custody of police in Georgia.”

Georgia’s embassy in London said he surrendered himself to police on Wednesday, after Ms Brown’s family increased their calls for him to return to face justice.

Her father, Graham Brown, celebrated the “overwhelming” development, writing on Facebook: “Justice for Charlotte is close!”

Shepherd and Ms Brown met on the dating website OkCupid and were on their first date when they were involved in a speedboat crash on 8 December 2015. Shepherd had taken her for a meal at the Shard before suggesting they take a late-night boat ride past the Houses of Parliament.

The boat hit a submerged log near Wandsworth Bridge and capsized, flinging Ms Brown into the river. Shepherd was rescued after being found clinging to the upturned hull. Ms Brown was found unconscious and unresponsive. A postmortem found she died from cold water immersion.

A jury heard the boat’s lifejackets had been tucked away, the kill cord was not connected and the boat had a number of defects including faulty steering. The prosecutor, Aftab Jafferjee QC, told the court it was “sheer madness” to take the boat out that night.

Shepherd, originally from Exeter, was sentenced in his absence, but despite being on the run, he applied to the court of appeal via his lawyers for the right to appeal against his conviction in August. He was granted permission on 19 December.

The family of Ms Brown, known to loved ones as Charli, raised the pressure in recent weeks. They met the home secretary, Sajid Javid, on Tuesday and renewed calls for Shepherd to surrender himself.

On Wednesday a spokesman for the Georgian embassy said Shepherd had “just surrendered himself to the Georgian police” who were now carrying out “relevant detaining formalities”.

Footage on the Georgian television station Rustavi2 showed a heavily bearded Shepherd, wearing a long coat, jeans and a checked scarf, smiling as he entered a police station in the country’s capital, Tbilisi.

He told reporters: “Yes my name is Jack Shepherd. I was involved in a tragic accident … in which a lady called Charlotte Brown tragically died.”

Following the meeting with the home secretary on Tuesday, Graham Brown said Javid had underlined his personal commitment to the hunt for Shepherd.

“Our message is clear: there can be no hiding place for Jack Shepherd,” Brown said. “No one should give support, assistance or encouragement to him other than to do what he should have done in the first instance, which is to hand himself in.

“Jack Shepherd was able to abscond whilst on unconditional bail. The police and other agencies have a responsibility to do whatever it takes to ensure that justice is served.”

In a statement, the home secretary said he had told the family the authorities would “strain every sinew and explore every option to bring them the justice they deserve”.

On Wednesday evening, Brown told BBC Radio 5 Live he felt “an overwhelming sense of emotion” at the news.

“My opinions towards Jack Shepherd is that he’s a very crass, reckless man, who managed to abscond and stick two fingers up at the judiciary,” he added.

“He’s got to come back to atone for all that and I think that he’s done the right thing, and thank goodness he’s realised that now and handed himself in.”

Katie Brown, Charlotte’s sister, voiced surprise about Shepherd’s “smug” appearance on clips aired by a Georgian TV channel.

She told BBC News: “I feel very surprised at how smug he looks to be honest.

“It just shows a very arrogant man.

“I don’t understand how someone can go on the run for two crimes and be found guilty and still then just walk straight in with a very smug look on his face and claim innocence. It’s unbelievable.”

She said she found his claims of innocence “baffling”.

She added: “The thing that I find quite baffling is he’s still maintaining his innocence.

“Someone who’s run away from this doesn’t scream an innocent man’s actions to me. Why did he run away if he’s claiming innocence?”

Javid said: “We will seek to swiftly extradite him to Britain. It is vital Charlotte Brown’s family see justice done.”

The family’s local MP, James Brokenshire, said Shepherd’s “wanton and selfish actions” had heaped further strain on the family “at a time of unimaginable grief”.

“Nothing can take away their loss, but I hope this may now offer some sense of justice,” the communities secretary added.

Scotland Yard, the force leading the investigation, said officers had been updated by the National Crime Agency on the development and were awaiting confirmation of Shepherd’s identity.

But, the Metropolitan police added that once identity was secured, extradition proceedings “will begin immediately” against Shepherd, who was wanted on an international arrest warrant.

Georgian law states that extradition is granted over convicted individuals if they have been sentenced to at least four months’ imprisonment.