The family of a 15-year-old girl killed in a speedboat crash have spoken of their devastation at her loss as the “coward” skipper and company owner avoided being sent to prison.
Emily Lewis, 15, suffered fatal injuries after the rigid inflatable boat (rib) collided with a 4.5m high buoy at 36.6 knots on Southampton Water on 22 August 2020.
A number of other passengers were also seriously injured.
Speedboat skipper Michael Lawrence and company owner Michael Howley were handed 18-week prison sentences suspended for two years at Winchester Crown Court in connection with the death.
Both men had previously served as RNLI lifeboatmen.
Lawrence, 55, who was driving the boat, was previously found not guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence, but guilty of failing to maintain a proper lookout and failing to proceed at a safe speed, by a jury.
Howley, 52, the owner of Seadogz, the company which ran the boat trip, was convicted by majority verdict of not operating the craft safely.
At the trial, Christine Agnew KC, prosecuting, told how Emily’s parents, Simon and Nikki, had made the decision to take her and sister Amy, 18, for a “high thrills” speedboat ride.
CCTV showed the moment before the speedboat hit the buoy
The boat was recorded to travel at speeds of 47.8 knots, which is in excess of an expired speed limit of 40 knots (46mph), which she said both defendants believed was still in place.
The ride, which was said to have taken place in “perfect conditions”, saw the Stormforce 950 rib cross the wake of a Red Falcon ferry five times, before heading straight towards the North West Netley buoy, which measures 4.69m above the water line.
The boat was travelling towards it for 14 seconds at a speed of 38.6 knots (44mph), before hitting it and throwing passengers into the water and injuring others.
Emily suffered from internal injuries from being crushed up against the metal handle in front of her.
She was taken ashore by another boat, and then transported to hospital, where she later died.
Her parents decided to turn off her life support after being told by medical staff she had suffered from oxygen starvation to the brain and her injuries were “unsurvivable”.
‘I will never forgive you’
Reading her victim impact statement to the court, Emily’s mother Nicola wiped away tears, as she looked at Lawrence and said: “You have taken away from us not being able to see Emily grow into the beautiful young lady, the amazing adult that she would have been. I will never forgive you for this.
“It is two and a half years and you have kept us in this hell, you could have taken responsibility for what happened that day but you have chosen not to. To me, you are just a coward only thinking about yourself. You show no remorse.
“You are a weak man. I hope that your sentence gives you an opportunity to reflect on what you have done.”
A selfie taken by Michael Lawrence at the start of the fatal ride
Emily’s father, Simon, said: “The death of my amazing, wonderful daughter Emily has truly broken me.
“There is no day, hour or minute that I do not think about her. I miss her so much that some days that pain is physical. I want and need her back in my life, yet I know that this is not possible.”
Her sister Amy, who was 18 at the time of the crash and suffered a fractured arm, said: “To describe it as the worst day of my life would be an understatement.
“No words can describe the deep pain and suffering of that day, it’s pain you cannot speak of, only experience, and for the last two years I have felt this very feeling every day.”
Mark Ashley, defending Lawrence, of Blackfield, New Forest, said that his client’s actions were “out of character” and added: “We are dealing with a good man who has made a mistake.
“He is deeply, deeply affected by what has happened. There isn’t a day that goes by when he doesn’t wish it was he who died.”
Keely Harvey, representing Howley, of Hordle, Hampshire, said that he “cared” about the safety of his passengers and added: “He is highly remorseful, he is a man who will be forever affected by this.”
The court previously heard that Seadogz had received three complaints from passengers suffering back injuries in 10 years – with one person injured during a ride in 2012 receiving a £300,000 payout.
A man has been arrested by police investigating a “significant” wildfire that triggered a major incident in Northern Ireland.
More than 100 firefighters and 15 fire appliances were deployed on Saturday to Sandbank Road, Hilltown, to tackle the blaze which is believed to have been caused deliberately, fire chiefs said.
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said the fire had a front of approximately two miles “including a large area of forestry close to property”.
It was extinguished at 2.53am on Sunday and the major incident status lifted, the NIFRS said.
“The cause of this fire is believed to have been deliberate,” chief fire and rescue officer Aidan Jennings said.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland said on Sunday that a 25-year-old man had been arrested “on suspicion of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, and non-related driving offences”.
“He remains in custody at this time as enquiries continue into the circumstances surrounding the fire,” the force added.
The wildfire on Sandbank Road, Hilltown. Pic: Sky Watch NI
More than 100 firefighters were at the scene of the fire. Pic: Sky Watch NI
Various fires erupted across England this week amid uncharacteristically warm and dry conditions for the time of year.
On Saturday, helicopters were deployed to tackle Scotland’s fourth wildfire this week, with police saying a blaze “which started in the Newton Stewart area has spread northwards and is expected to reach the Loch Doon area of East Ayrshire around 12am on Sunday”.
Police Scotland added: “As a precautionary measure members of the public are asked to avoid the Loch Doon area and anyone who may be camping in the area is advised to leave.”
Moors Valley Country Park blackened by fires this week
Elsewhere in England, Devon and Cornwall Police said they were assisting the fire service with temporary road closures on the A30 in the Bolventor area as they tackle “a number of fires” on moorland.
In Dorset, Moors Valley Country Park was forced to close after multiple wildfires broke out there on Wednesday.
Read more from Sky News:
Zelenskyy makes dig at US over its response to Russian attack
What hopes are there for the future of Prince Harry’s charity?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Wildfires spread across nature reserve
Separate incidents were then reported at Upton Heath in Poole on Wednesday, and nearby Canford Heath in the early hours of Thursday.
Friday was officially the warmest day of the year so far – with temperatures in the south of England reaching 23C (73.4F) – the highest since 21 September last year, according to the Met Office.
The weather conditions triggered a “severe” wildfire rating for parts of the UK on Tuesday.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway