Millionaire is accused over death of friend in boat crash

A WEALTHY businessman allegedly killed his Scots best friend “showing off” to a group of guests on board his £1 million luxury yacht when he crashed a jet-powered boat he was driving into its swimming platform, a court heard.

Millionaire Aaron Brown was piloting the rigid inflatable boat at 30mph when it ploughed into the back of the 62ft long Fairline Targa yacht, called True Blue.

His friend of 20 years Ryan McKinlay, was on board the RIB and was being filmed by his wife, Fran, on a mobile phone from her vantage point on the yacht.

But tragedy struck when Brown, 34, lost control of the smaller boat and it crashed into the swimming platform of the back of the yacht.

Father-of-one Mr McKinlay, 36, was sitting at the front of the boat and the platform struck him in the chest, propelling him into the water lying face down.

He died from his injuries in hospital following the accident off Osborne Bay, Isle of Wight, on June 19, 2015.

Mr Brown, from Curbridge near Southampton, Hampshire, denies a charge of manslaughter by reason of gross negligence.

He wept throughout the prosecution’s opening of the case at Winchester Crown Court, Hampshire.

Nick Tucker, prosecuting, told the court: “Mr McKinlay was a passenger in a jet boat driven by Aaron Brown. The collision occurred as Mr Brown inadvertently drove that boat at high speed into the rear of another vessel.”

Mr Brown is a senior business figure in Hampshire.

Speaking in July last year Mr McKinlay’s wife Fran said a “huge void” had been left in his family’s lives.

The trial continues and is , expected to last two weeks.