David Haw: Man admits manslaughter over boat crash death

A 21-year-old man has pleaded guilty to the gross negligence manslaughter of a man who died following a boat crash in a harbour.

David Haw, 24, from Newick, East Sussex, fell from a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) in Poole Harbour in the early hours of 2 May 2022.

He was found dead in the harbour 12 days later.

Morgan Smith, 21, from Southampton, entered his plea to causing the death of Mr Haw at Bournemouth Crown Court.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the boat Mr Haw fell from had crashed into a navigation buoy.

Judge Susan Evans adjourned the case for sentencing by a High Court judge at Winchester Crown Court on a date to be fixed in October and ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service into the defendant.

Warning Morgan Smith that he faced a custodial sentence, she told him: "I know you will understand the seriousness of the offence you have committed and the sentence you will be receiving for that.

"I will be allowing you bail and I am doing that because you have come here to give a realistic plea."

She added that a condition of bail was that he complied with the Probation Service in the preparation of the report.

Extensive searches were carried out in the Poole Harbour area following the accident, involving police specialist dive teams supported by HM Coastguard, the RNLI and volunteers from DorSAR and Wessex Flood and Water Rescue Unit.

The body of Mr Haw was found in the water in Poole Harbour on May 14.

Dorset Police launched an investigation involving the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency leading to the charges being brought.

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