Bryce Stewart Temple sentenced in Southport Magistrates Court over operating an ‘unsafe boat’ driving with drugs in system

A man whose girlfriend died in a horror boat crash has thought about it daily for three years, a court heard when sentencing him for driving an “unsafe” tinnie with drugs in his system.

A MAN whose girlfriend died in a horror boat crash has thought about it daily for three years, a court heard when sentencing him for driving an “unsafe” tinnie with drugs in his system.

The mother of Jess Murray, 33, who died instantly in a boat collision three years ago near the luxury Couran Cove, also told a court through a victim impact statement “our heartbreak will last a lifetime”.

Ms Murray and partner Bryce Stewart Temple were travelling in a 4m tinnie when there was a collision with an 11m cruiser on May 27, 2017.

Temple, 44, was on Monday jailed for three months, wholly suspended for a year, and fined $500 for having an “unsafe” vessel without a light on its bow, and driving with drugs in his system.

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The Southport Magistrates Court heard Temple’s vessel had right of way, although at dusk it was “quite murky” making it difficult to see.

Bryce Stewart Temple was fined $500 and sentenced to a suspended jail term for driving an "unsafe" vessel and with drugs in his system.

Jess Murray was tragically killed in a boating accident near Couran Cove. Photo: Facebook

“The ship that he was driving was unsafe because it did not have a light on it that would sit a metre above the bow, such that you could see it from a distance,” Prosecutor Matthew Hynes said.

Temple was initially charged with a more serious offence but it was ultimately not pursued.

He pleaded guilty to drive while drug present in blood or saliva, and general safety obligation of ship owners and masters about condition of ships.

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Magistrate Michelle Dooley said the safety obligation was very high for boaties of the Gold Coast waterways.

“It appears that there’s an argument that a light correctly positioned may have made a difference in this particular matter,” she said.

The court heard just five days prior to the crash Temple had been charged with drug possession.

Mr Hynes said it appeared the boat crash was a “sobering event” as he had not been back before the courts.

Defence solicitor Joe Wicking, of Howden Saggers Lawyers, said the matter had significantly impacted Temple.

“That’s not to take away from the family, but of course my client was the partner of the young lady that died as a result of this incident, and it’s something that’s played on his mind on a daily basis for the last three years.

Mr Wicking said Temple had a non-compliant light on the back of the boat.

Temple’s marine licence was suspended for a month.