Jack Shepherd: UK fugitive branded 'arrogant' by family of speedboat crash victim after handing himself into Georgia police

Lawyer says 31-year-old 'extremely sad' over death, but believes he is innocent

The family of a woman killed in a speedboat crash have accused the fugitive convicted for causing her death of “arrogance” after he handed himself in to police in Georgia.

Jack Shepherd had been on the run for six months since disappearing before his trial, where he was sentenced to six years in prison in absentia for killing 24-year-old Charlotte Brown during a speedboat date on the Thames.

Brown’s sister, Katie, said the family were very shocked and relieved when they heard Shepherd had handed himself in.

Appearing on the BBC’s Breakfast programme, she said: ”To see him just stroll into the police station smiling and waving it was unbelievable – his arrogance over everything.”

She said she thought Shepherd went to the police station for purely selfish reasons because he wanted his appeal to be successful.

On Wednesday night, the Crown Prosecution Service said it was preparing an extradition request to be lodged with Georgian legal authorities.

The Metropolitan Police, the force leading the investigation, said officers had been updated by the National Crime Agency on the development and are awaiting confirmation of Shepherd’s identity.

It said that extradition proceedings would begin immediately once identity was secured.

Shepherd’s lawyer said the 31-year-old believed he was innocent and his client was extremely sad about Brown’s death.

He told the Press Association: ”Many people have opinions which are not based on facts. Every person who is blamed of a crime has the right to efficient and good legal help. Criticising somebody for protecting himself is not right. He believes that he is innocent.”

Charlotte Brown died after being thrown into the cold Thames when Shepherd’s boat capsized (PA)

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

“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,” Mr Brown told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“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.”

Brown’s family had reiterated their calls for Shepherd to hand himself in and met the home secretary Sajid Javid the day before Shepherd was arrested.

On Wednesday, a heavily-bearded Shepherd waved and smiled as he walked into a police station flanked by lawyers.

Speaking on Georgian TV station Rustavi2, he said: ”Yes, my name is Jack Shepherd. I was involved in a tragic accident ... in which a lady called Charlotte Brown tragically died.”

He said he hoped that justice would be done with his pending appeal against the conviction.

He continued to say he hopes “I can just”, before pausing to correct himself to add: “Everybody can move forward with their lives.”

Shepherd speaks to the media at the police station in Tbilisi, Georgia (RUSTAVI 2 via AP)

When asked on BBC Breakfast how she felt about his comments, Katie Brown said: ”He seems to be concerned about his own feelings and how he’s felt throughout the whole thing, and has had no empathy or remorse for his reckless actions.

“He has caused the loss of my sister’s life and whilst he’s been off in Georgia, he claims that he went to see friends and he has always wanted to see the scenery there – almost like he was claiming it was a holiday.

“He said that he has been out socialising, going to nightclubs, so whilst he has been doing that we have been back here, had the agony of the trial, left to pick up the pieces.

“He is not thinking about Charlie, us, respect for the legal system, all he is thinking about is himself and his feelings.”