Businessman Aaron Brown, accused of killing friend Ryan McKinlay in a boating accident off the coast of the Isle of Wight, has been acquitted of manslaughter by a jury at Winchester Crown Court today (Wednesday).
As previously reported by Island Echo, 36-year-old Ryan McKinlay of Gosport was airlifted by Coastguard helicopter from Osborne Bay to St Mary’s Hospital on 19th June 2015. Despite the best efforts of all involved, he sadly died as a result of his injuries.
Winchester Crown Court has over the past 10 days heard how a water jet-powered RIB, driven by 33-year-old Brown, crashed into the rear of the luxury cruiser ‘True Blue’. Mr McKinlay was thrown against the swim deck.
Aaron Brown admitted to the court that, in hindsight, he was driving the high-speed RIB too fast but said that the vessel failed to turn when he attempted to take evasive action. He sobbed in the dock as he was cleared of any wrong doing by the jury.
In a statement issued after today’s verdict it was 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.”
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