A speedboat driver involved in a horrific crash admitted he had been playing around in the run up to the accident.

Glen Mackay said the smash which killed his passenger Ian Langan had been a "hard lesson to learn", an inquest heard.

Mr Mackay had just performed a 360-degree turn before slowing almost to a halt when his boat was hit by another craft steered by Cliff Langan, a jury was told.

The collision killed Mr Langan's brother Ian almost instantly and broke the left leg of Michael Tierney, another passenger in Mr Mackay's boat.

Stephen Trigwell, who was sitting behind Mr Mackay, told Brighton magistrates court he believed both drivers should have done more to prevent a collision.

His testimony was backed up by coastguard investigator Captain William Smart, who also criticised Mr Mackay for the 360-degree turn, referred to as a "doughnut".

Ian Langan, of Springfield Road, Brighton, died in the accident which happened just south of Brighton's Palace Pier on the evening of August 4 last year.

His brother Cliff and Mr Mackay had both been drinking that afternoon and were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

However, the Crown Prosecution Service later decided there was insufficient evidence to secure convictions.

Mr Mackay, of Brighton, set off from Brighton Marina shortly after 6.30pm on his boat, Seadoo, accompanied by Ian Langan, Mr Tierney, from Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, and Mr Trigwell, from Brighton Marina.

Driving a larger boat, the Blue Sunset, was Bernard Rogers, from Dartford, Kent, his partner Jeanette King and Cliff Langan, from Neptune Court, Brighton Marina.

Witnesses at the hearing earlier this week gave evidence that the two boats had been exceeding the marina speed limit of five knots, as well as performing dangerous turns.

Giving evidence yesterday, Mr Trigwell denied they were travelling at "excessive" speeds before leaving the marina but said Mr Mackay had performed four complete turns.

They followed the Blue Sunset west towards the Palace Pier, before both boats performed a large circle in windy conditions.

Mr Trigwell said: "It was quite a jolty ride."

He said Seadoo then overtook and crossed in front of the Blue Sunset, turned towards the shore then turned back on itself and performed a "doughnut" before stalling.

Mr Trigwell said: "The Blue Sunset was still heading west on potentially a collision course."

However, he thought there was still a chance for the Seadoo to accelerate out of the way, but Mr Mackay did not move the boat.

Mr Trigwell ducked behind Mr Mackay's seat but was hit by part of the boat, causing cracked ribs. He spent the night in hospital.

He said: "Glen was just standing up looking a bit dazed. I remember him saying, 'That's a hard lesson to learn.' I suppose he meant he made a mistake."

In police interviews, Mr Mackay explained he had not seen the Blue Sunset coming at him until the last moment, when he tried in vain to accelerate to the left.

Mr Langan told police he felt he was steering sensibly and had his vision of the other boat obstructed by the Blue Sunset's bow.

Mr Smart told the inquest yesterday that while there would have been a momentary "blind spot" leading up to the collision, both drivers should have realised the danger.

Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley was summing up today before directing the jury of 11 to consider its verdict.