THE owner of a company which chartered a speedboat that crashed and killed a 15-year-old girl in Southampton today appeared in court.
Michael Howley's company Seadogz Rib Charter Ltd operated the boat that smashed into a five-tonne navigation buoy at high speed, killing passenger Emily Lewis.
Today Mr Howley, 51, dressed in a black suit and tie and wearing glasses, appeared at crown court to deny a charge of 'failing to take all reasonable steps to secure the boat operated in a safe manner'.
Emily, who was on board the boat with her mother Nikki, father Simon and older sister Amy, 19, was among 11 people taken to hospital following the crash.
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The schoolgirl, from Park Gate, near Southampton, Hants, tragically died at Southampton General Hospital later that day from her catastrophic chest injuries. Her mother and sister are understood to have each suffered a broken arm.
At Winchester Crown Court, today Howley pleaded not guilty to failing to take all reasonable steps to secure the boat he owned operated in a 'safe manner'.
He also denied an alternative charge of failing to take reasonable steps as director and owner of Seadogz Rib Charter Ltd, as opposed to being the owner of the boat.
Seadogz ran the trip on Southampton water on August 22, 2020, which resulted in the fatal crash.
Howley, from Hordle in the New Forest, will face trial alongside 54-year-old Michael Lawrence, who captained the rigid hull inflatable boat and has pleaded not guilty to Lewis' manslaughter.
He also denied failing to maintain a proper lookout as master of the boat and failing to proceed at a safe speed while operating the boat.
Mr Lawrence is expected to argue the crash was an 'unfortunate accident'.
The trial, expected to last four weeks with expert evidence from both sides, is due to begin at Winchester Crown Court on January 9, 2023.
Judge Susan Evans set the date whilst acknowledging it would be a 'sensitive' trial for all involved.
She said: "This is a sensitive trial from all points of view.
"I am going to adjourn your case now for a trial on January 9. Before that, you will need to attend a further case management hearing on July 1."
All passengers, apart from one, suffered injuries including broken limbs, fractured vertebrae, dislocations and a punctured lung. Two were thrown overboard from the Seadogz boat.
Emily, sitting on a middle bench seat, suffered a fatal and catastrophic chest injury during the tragedy around 10am on August 22 in 2020, as families booked the excursion during school summer holidays.
A further case management date has been set for July 1, to check on the progress of expert evidence in the trial.
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