Speedboat Killer Jack Shepherd Pleads Guilty to Violent Assaults, Including Hitting Woman With Barbecue Tongs

Jack Shepherd has admitted violently assaulting a woman, including striking her chest with a set of barbecue tongs, the court heard.

At Isleworth Crown Court the 38-year-old pleaded guilty via a prison video link to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and to damaging property. The offences relate to incidents in February and June 2024 that prompted his recall to prison.

Shepherd was originally sentenced to 10 years in 2018 after being convicted of manslaughter over the death of 24-year-old Charlotte Brown when his speedboat crashed on a first date. He failed to attend his scheduled Old Bailey trial and spent time on the run in Georgia before being extradited back to the United Kingdom to continue serving his sentence.

He was released on licence in January 2024 but was recalled to custody in September 2024 following allegations of violence toward a woman. At Tuesday's hearing Shepherd admitted pinning the woman down and punching her in February 2024, and later, in June 2024, striking her in the chest with barbecue tongs and damaging her keys.

Prosecutors confirmed they had agreed to drop two other allegations against him, relating to controlling or coercive behaviour and alleged intentional suffocation. The court recorded his guilty pleas via the prison video link and a sentencing hearing will be scheduled to determine the next steps.