Cheeki Rafiki yacht boss faces retrial over deaths

A JURY trying a company boss over the deaths of four people on board the Cheeki Rafiki yacht has been discharged after failing to reach verdicts on manslaughter charges.

Douglas Innes was convicted of failing to ensure the safety of the vessel.

But trial judge Mr Justice Dingemans discharged the jurors at Winchester Crown Court after they were unable to reach a decision on the four manslaughter allegations, which they had been deliberating over since Tuesday lunchtime.

Innes, 42, of Southampton, and his company Stormforce Coaching Ltd were convicted of failing to operate the yacht in a safe manner, contrary to Section 100 of the Merchant Shipping Act.

Innes, a married father-of-two, showed no emotion as the verdicts were announced.

Nigel Lickley QC, prosecuting, said the Crown would be seeking a retrial on the four manslaughter charges and Mr Justice Dingemans released Innes on unconditional bail until a future hearing on a date to be set.

Thanking the jury, which deliberated for 21 hours, Mr Dingemans said: “I will discharge you from considering any more the verdicts in this case.”

The lost its keel as the crew were returning the 40ft yacht from Antigua to the UK in May 2014 when it got into trouble more than 700 miles from Nova Scotia.

The four crew members were skipper Andrew Bridge, 22, from Farnham, Surrey, James Male, 22, from Southampton, Steve Warren, 52, and Paul Goslin, 56, both from Somerset.