Charlotte Lescott is seen with her partner Ali Watson, 28, before he was killed in a crash in 2020 (Picture: SWNS)
A British father-of-one died after a jet ski ploughed into him while his partner and baby watched on, an inquest has heard.
Ali Watson, 28, had organised for a boat trip for his girlfriend, Charlotte Lescott, and their newborn daughter Soulie in Dubai in December 2020 when the crash happened.
The family had moved from the UK to the Emirati city four months earlier for a ‘better life’, and had begun to settle into their new home when the tragedy occurred.
During inquest at Exeter Coroner’s Court, the coroner heard how Ali was hit by a jet ski instructor who was ‘riding fast’, the Daily Mail reported.
The instructor had a female passenger – but she had jumped off moments before the crash due to being frightened by the high speed, the coroner was told.
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Ali, a marketing manager from Coventry, was thrown into the air and landed face down in the water.
He died at the scene from blunt force chest wounds.
The couple found out that Charlotte was pregnant in December 2019 after they began dating the year before (Credits: Charlotte Lescott / SWNS)
Charlotte gave birth to their daughter, Soulie, in July 2020, when the UK was coping with the Covid-19 pandemic (Picture: Charlotte Lescott / SWNS)
Charlotte, who is from Birmingham, said: ‘We went on a boat with a bunch of friends.
‘He was out in the water on a jetski and the instructor collided with him.
‘I was holding the baby on the boat and witnessed it.
‘The last thing I said was “be safe, I love you”.
‘My world stopped spinning the moment Ali died. I couldn’t function. The world around you is still carrying on.’
Assistant coroner for Devon Luisa Nicholson said Ali died as a result of an accident. It was heard that he had previous experience of riding jetskis and the ones used that day had been hired by the boat trip organisers.
The inquest heard that suspended jail sentences and fines were handed out to those responsible for the crash.
Charlotte said: ‘Even when I saw the crash I didn’t think the worst.
While the couple was happy together, Charlotte said Ali wasn’t happy with their life in the UK and wanted a change (Picture: Charlotte Lescott / SWNS)
The family decided to move to Dubai in September 2020, where she said they had begun to settle in happily (Picture: Charlotte Lescott / SWNS)
‘I thought he’d have a broken leg. Death doesn’t go through your mind.
‘When my friend said Char you need to sit down – I knew what she was going to say. I just felt my whole world had collapsed.
‘I just remember screaming at the top of my lungs.’
The couple met on Depop in 2018 when he messaged her after she bought some trainers off him.
They began dating and moved in together three months later.
In December 2019 when they found out they were expecting a baby together, and Soulie was born in July 2020.
After the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, the family decided to move to Dubai as they found the restrictions placed in the UK too tough.
Charlotte said: ‘He really wasn’t happy in the UK. There was no quality of life. We ended up building a life there.
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‘It was just nice. We had a better quality of life. We could take Soulie swimming. I felt life was complete.’
Charlotte says that five years later, she is continuing to raise the couple’s daughter and talks about him often to her.
‘If I didn’t have her I would be lost,’ she said. ‘I had to carry on because she was a new born. Soulie is very aware of her dad. She’s dreams of him. She’s got his eyes. She’s very fragile, sensitive and very kind.
‘She’s such a ray of sunshine. I just want to protect her at all costs.’
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