Teenage driver ‘killed pensioner and injured her husband’

A teenager accused of killing a pensioner and seriously injuring her husband in a road smash denied causing death by dangerous driving today (tues).

Rahul Pandey, 18, claimed that he fell asleep at the wheel of his Vauxhall Corsa after police arrived at the scene of the crash on Main Road, Biggin Hill, Kent on 11 October 2017.

Shirley Conington, 75, was killed in the collision and her husband David Conington, 76, was seriously injured, the Old Bailey heard.

Pandey appeared in court today (tues) wearing a white tracksuit and only spoke from the dock to enter not guilty pleas to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving.

Judge Mark Denis QC said: ‘You have entered a not guilty plea to both counts, one being death by dangerous driving, and the other causing serious injury.

‘The trial is now fixed for the 4 February 2019, which may sound a long way off but time will go quite quickly.

‘For the trial to be ready for that date, it requires cooperation from everyone.

‘Please attend when ever you’re attend to attend your solicitors so you are instructed completely and they can do their work.

The judge released Pandey on unconditional bail until 4 February when he will stand trial, adding: ‘If you do not turn up and breach your bail, it will be a separate offence and your trial may go on in your absence.’

Pandey, from Eltham, southeast London, denies causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
ends.