A FORMER courier driver has appeared in court charged with causing death by careless driving after a cyclist suffered fatal injuries on the A338 Spur Road.

Kevin Johnson was charged following the death of 30-year-old Christopher Gibbs, who was riding home from work in the southbound carriageway at around 10.40pm on October 3 last year when he was involved in a collision.

Mr Gibbs died at the scene, around a mile from the Ashley Heath roundabout.

Prosecutors allege he was hit by a white Mercedes Citan driven by Johnson, of Sandleford Lodge Park in Thatcham, Berkshire.

Johnson, 58, appeared for a plea and trial preparation hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday. However, he has not yet entered pleas to charges of being the driver of a vehicle and failing to stop after a road accident, driving dangerously and being the driver of a vehicle involved in a road accident and failing to report the accident.

The defendant, who was working as a courier driver when he was allegedly involved in the collision, will return to the court in September after the hearing was adjourned for expert reports. A provisional trial date has been set for December.