A MAN has pleaded guilty to causing the death of Ringwood teenager Jade Clark.

Health and safety executive Brian Hampton has admitted causing death by careless driving after he knocked the 16-year-old off her red scooter as she rode along the A31 on February 24 this year.

The young hairdresser and member of the Young Firefighters’ Association died from head injuries following the collision, which happened between the Verwood slip road on the A31 and the Ashley Heath roundabout.

An inquest heard that Jade was struck by “more than one” vehicle after being knocked off her scooter.

Hampton appeared before Bournemouth Crown Court where he also entered guilty pleas to driving his Volvo XC90 whilst disqualified on February 24 and February 25, and driving without insurance on both of those dates.

The 58-year-old, of Hornash Lane in Shadoxhurst, near Ashford, Kent, entered not guilty pleas to perverting the course of justice between February 24 and March 22 this year by arranging for collision damage on a Volvo XC90 to be repaired, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident.

Hampton, who works for the railways in Poole, was remanded in custody and told he will stand trial for the three offences at Bournemouth Crown Court on September 16. The hearing is expected to last four or five days.

Jade was an enthusiastic member of the Ringwood Young Firefighters’ Association and earlier this month a memorial garden was opened at the fire station on what would have been her 17th birthday.