A jury at Winchester Crown Court has cleared Aaron Brown of manslaughter by gross negligence following a boating accident at Osborne Bay, Isle of Wight

23 March 2017

Aaron Brown broke down and sobbed when the jury delivered the not guilty verdict at Winchester Crown Court on 22 March.

The 34-year-old faced a charge of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of father-of-one, Ryan McKinlay on 19 June 2015. He always denied the charge.

The court had heard that McKinlay, 36, from Gosport, Hampshire was a passenger in a Williams Turbojet 325 RIB which was being driven by Brown.

The boat smashed into Brown’s 62-foot Fairline Targa, killing McKinlay, who was sitting at the front of the RIB.

The trial heard Brown, of Botley Road, Curdbridge, Hampshire, had been “showing off” by driving at high speed, a point that Brown said was “very unfair”.

“I was intending to turn away, to turn the boat right,” he told the court in evidence. “I turned right and the boat didn’t turn.”

A statement read on Brown’s behalf outside the court following the verdict said: “Ryan McKinlay was a friend I had known for more than 20 years.”

“Ryan’s death will haunt me for the rest of my life but I know that nothing will compare with his family’s loss.”

“My thoughts are, and always have been, with them,” concluded the statement.

On 21 March, the jury cleared hired skipper Paul Carey of driving the RIB too fast prior to it being involved in the fatal accident at Osborne Bay.

The 52-year-old, of Chatsworth Road, Southampton, had pleaded not guilty to a charge of driving the vessel in contravention of Merchant Shipping regulations.

22 March 2017

Jurors at Winchester Crown Court have cleared hired skipper Paul Carey of driving a RIB too fast prior to it being involved in an accident which killed a father-of-one.

The 52-year-old, of Chatsworth Road, Southampton, was found not guilty of the charge of driving the vessel in contravention of Merchant Shipping regulations.

Ryan McKinlay, 36, of Gosport, Hampshire, died during the accident at Osborne Bay on the Isle of Wight on 19 June 2015.

Carey, who had always denied the charge, was hired by businessman Aaron Brown to take his Fairline Targa from Swanwick in Hampshire to Osborne Bay.

Brown was at the wheel of the Williams Turbojet 325 RIB when it crashed into the luxury motor yacht, killing McKinlay.

The 34-year-old of Botley Road, Curdbridge, Hampshire was charged with manslaughter by gross negligence, which he denies.

Jurors at Winchester Crown Court will today continue their deliberations in relation to Brown today.

 

21 March 2017

The jury at Winchester Crown Court has retired to consider its verdict in the trial of businessman Aaron Brown, who is accused of the manslaughter of his friend Ryan McKinlay.

The father-of-one from Gosport, Hampshire died during a boating accident at Osborne Bay on the Isle of Wight on 19 June 2015.

Brown, 34, was at the helm of his Williams Turbojet 325 RIB when it smashed into the businessman’s 62-foot Fairline Targa, named True Blue.

McKinlay, 36, died as a result of the crash.

Brown, of Botley Road, Curdbridge, Hampshire, denies the charge of manslaughter by gross negligence.

Earlier, the jury heard the Brown had previously been convicted of driving another RIB at up to five times the speed limit on the River Hamble in 2012.

He was driving at between 25 and 30 knots in a 6-knot limit zone.

The jurors were also told that Brown had been “showing off” in front of his friends, and was shown footage of the accident.

While giving evidence, Brown said it was “very unfair” to suggest he was showing off to his guests aboard the True Blue, and denied he was “driving towards True Blue”.

“I was intending to turn away, to turn the boat right,” he told the court. “I turned right and the boat didn’t turn.”

The jury heard that during the afternoon of the boat trip from Swanwick, Hampshire, to Osborne Bay, he had drunk a glass and a half of Champagne and a bottle of Peroni lager.

He stressed that this had “absolutely not” affected his judgment.

Hired skipper Paul Carey, 52, of Chatsworth Road, Southampton, is also on trial for driving the Williams Turbojet 325 RIB too fast earlier in the afternoon, in contravention of Merchant Shipping regulations.

Carey denies the charge.

 

15 March 2017

A jury at Winchester Crown Court has heard that businessman Arron Brown was “showing off” in front of his friends, before crashing his Williams Turbojet 325 RIB into his luxury motor yacht, killing his friend.

Father-of-one, Ryan Scott McKinlay, died as a result of the accident at Osborne Bay, Isle of Wight on 19 June 2015.

Brown, 34, of Botley Road, Curdbridge, Hampshire, denies the charge of manslaughter by gross negligence.

The jury saw footage of the accident, which was shot by McKinlay’s wife.

Ryan Scott McKinlay

Ryan McKinlay. Credit: Hampshire Police

It showed Brown driving the RIB at speed towards the 62-foot Fairline Targa, named True Blue, before it collided into the motor yacht’s swim platform.

Prosecuting, Nick Tucker said Brown “desperately” tried to steer the RIB away from the Fairline, but the boat skidded.

“Mr McKinlay, sitting at the front, had no chance. The swimming platform hit him in the chest at full force and threw him into the water,” said Tucker.

“Mr Brown was catapulted into the air and onto the swimming platform, and he escaped with minor injuries,” added the prosecutor.

Tucker told the jury that Brown had ignored his training by driving the RIB too close to another vessel.

“He ignored that advice (in order) to show off.

“He chose to pilot the boat towards a 38-tonne cruiser at something like 30mph with his friend sitting at the front of the boat and hanging on, and as a result Ryan McKinlay was killed,” he said.

Businessman Brown had hired skipper Paul Cary to take the Fairline Targa from Swanwick in Hampshire to Osborne Bay.

Tucker said Carey and Brown had taken it in turns to take the RIB on “thrill seeking” joyrides.

Carey, 52, of Chatsworth Road, Southampton, faces a charge of driving too fast in contravention of Merchant Shipping regulations, which he denies.

The trial continues.

 

22 June 2016

A Hampshire businessman has pleaded not guilty to unlawfully killing his friend, Ryan Scott McKinlay during a boating incident.

Aaron Brown, 33, of Harmsworth Farm, Curbridge, appeared at Winchester Crown Court on 20 June.

McKinlay died on 19 June, 2015 during a boating incident in Osborne Bay, Isle of Wight.

The 36-year-old businessman lived in Gosport and left behind a wife and a son.

Brown was granted unconditional bail and the case was adjourned for trial on 10 October.

25 May 2016

A Hampshire businessman has appeared in court charged with the unlawful killing of Ryan Scott McKinlay. The 36-year-old died during a boat accident in Osborne Bay, Isle of Wight last year.

Aaron Maurice Brown, 33, of Harmsworth Farm, Curbridge, Hampshire appeared before West Hampshire Magistrates’ Court on 19 May.

He is charged with unlawfully killing Ryan Scott McKinlay on 19 June, 2015, contrary to Common Law.

McKinlay, who was from Gosport, left behind a wife and son.

Brown’s case was committed to Winchester Crown Court for trial on 20 June.

24 June, 2015

A 30-year-old man from Southampton has been interviewed under caution by police after a man died following the Osborne Bay collision on June 19.

Hampshire Police questioned the man on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter after the incident between a RIB and a larger motorboat killed Ryan McKinlay on Friday.

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The 36-year-old from Gosport was travelling on a small tender when a collision occurred with the yacht that had been carrying the RIB earlier the same day.

Mr McKinlay was seriously injured as a result of the incident and was airlifted to hospital before being pronounced dead later in the evening.

It is believed that there were originally a dozen or so people aboard the motorboat, with the majority being taken ashore by the Cowes and Gosport lifeboats.

Local rescue crews towed the RIB from the scene into Cowes, with the larger motorboat being escorted by a police launch.

In a statement, Hampshire Police said: “The man was not arrested. He is not on bail but may be interviewed pending ongoing enquiries.

“Officers from Hampshire’s Constabulary’s Major Crime team are now leading the investigation into the death of 36-year-old Ryan Scott McKinlay from Gosport.

“Detectives would like to thank all partner agencies and members of the public for their ongoing co-operation and assistance with this investigation.”

A Home Office post-mortem examination was due to be held on Tuesday afternoon, with the results not yet having been released.