Updated

A Thai court has given a suspended one-year prison sentence to an Australian man whose girlfriend died when their personal watercraft collided at high speed off the southern resort island of Phuket.

Thomas Keating, 22, pleaded guilty at Phuket Provincial Court and on Thursday was handed a one-year sentence — suspended for two years — for criminal negligence that led to the death last month of fellow Australian Emily Jayne Collie, 20. He was fined 5,000 baht ($145) and was allowed to leave Thailand.

Renting a personal watercraft is popular at many Thai beach resorts. Keating has said he was blinded by the sun when his watercraft crashed into hers.