Dad’s outrage as daughter’s killer who let her drown after crashing his speedboat on their first date is granted appeal – despite being on the run
Jack Shepherd skipped his manslaughter trial over the death of date Charlotte Brown - but has still been able to successfully win the right to appeal his sentence
A KILLER who let a woman drown during a speedboat tragedy on their first date has won the right to appeal his sentence - despite being on the run.
Jack Shepherd skipped his manslaughter trial over the death of Charlotte Brown, 24, who died when his ageing boat flipped at high speed on London’s River Thames.
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The 30-year-old was jailed for six years in his absence in July - yet remains at large despite a police manhunt and a £10,000 Sun reward to help catch him.
But he was able to instruct his lawyers to lodge papers at the Court of Appeal from abroad.
Shepherd called for his sentence to be quashed or have his jail term slashed - even though he hasn’t entered jail.
Last night Miss Brown's father Graham, described the situation as "incredible, absurd and disgusting".
The 55-year-old told the : "We all know what happened on the Thames and at the trial, but he's still sticking two fingers up.
";We thought this absurd appeal would be thrown out immediately.
'We don't know when the court date is yet, but I'll be going to it for sure.
"The idea that he could get his sentence reduced while he's still on the run is incredible."
Mr Brown vowed to raise the issue with Home Secretary Sajid Javid at a scheduled meeting.
Shepherd is believed to have gone into hiding abroad.
But the European Convention on Human Rights has established a legal precedent that means being on the run is not a bar to mounting an appeal.
Shepherd's solicitors are reported to have received nearly £100,000 in legal aid - and will get more for this appeal.
And under lawyer-client confidentiality, solicitors are not required to help police find him.
Mr Brown added: "I'll also be asking why Shepherd is still at large, what resources are being put into finding him, and whether representations are being made to countries where he may be.
"(Police) told us initially that he'd flown to Georgia, but I think that was a red herring he'd told relatives and associates so they'd tell the police."
Shepherd is also running from charges of causing grievous bodily harm to a man in Newton Abbot, Devon.
Charlotte, of Clacton, Essex, died soon after meeting web designer Shepherd in 2015. He was drinking before the crash.
Shepherd's lawyers blamed "cowardice" for his disappearance.
He married his fiancée just two months after killing Ms Brown - who he was dating behind her back.
She is said to be raising their child alone.
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Dad Graham had slammed Shepherd for "mocking justice" by launching the appeal bid.
He told The Sun: "People will rightly ask why a convicted criminal’s rights should outweigh Charlotte’s.
“Shepherd hasn’t done a day of his sentence, but he’s apparently been able to put together an appeal while on the run.
But cops had no access to those exchanges and have been barred from probing any details of his contact with lawyers.
Scotland Yard is now working with the National Crime Agency to bring Shepherd to justice.
- CHARLOTTE’S family are campaigning for an overhaul of waterways laws. Sign the petition at
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