Jury retires to consider verdicts in Aaron Brown trial over Ryan McKinlay's boat crash death

Aaron Brown, 34, is on trial accused over the death of his friend and mentor, dad-of-one Ryan McKinlay, 36, of Gosport.

Mr McKinlay died when the water jet powered boat he was passenger on, piloted by Brown, crashed into a 38-tonne motor cruiser, named True Blue.

He died of his chest injuries in the incident on June 19, 2015, in Osborne Bay, Isle of Wight.

The court heard the prosecution case is Brown, who is accused of manslaughter by gross negligence, was driving the Williams Turbojet 325 too fast and too close to the larger boat and was ‘showing off’.

Whiteley firm One Com chief operating officer Brown, of Botley Road, Curbridge, denies the charge.

Trevor Burke QC, for Brown, yesterday told jurors the incident was a ‘very serious mistake, it was an error of judgement’.

Summing up, judge Keith Cutler CBE said: ‘What you’re dealing with is “was he grossly negligent?” and the sad and appalling circumstances is something that flows from this.’

The True Blue skipper hired for the day, Paul Carey, 52, of Chatsworth Road, Southampton, denies a charge of driving too fast in contravention of Merchant Shipping regulations, in relation to earlier driving of the Williams Turbojet 325 the same afternoon.

(Proceeding)