A HEALTH and safety consultant is due back in court today charged over the crash that killed 16-year-old Jade Clark.

Brian Hampton, who lives in Kent but works on the railways in Poole, faced eight motoring offences at his first appearance on Saturday, including causing her death by careless driving as she rode her moped along the A31 at Ashley Heath on February 24. Jade was on her moped when she was in a collision with a Volvo XC90 that evening and died at the scene from a severe head injury.

Hampton, 58, of Hornash Lane in Shadoxhurst, near Ashford, appeared in the dock at Bournemouth Magistrates Court in a T-shirt and green quilted jacket and was formally told he faced four charges from the day of the crash.

The court was told he faced the charges of driving without due care and attention to cause Jade’s death – death by careless driving – as well as failing to stop at the accident, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Hampton was also charged with driving while disqualified and without insurance on February 25 and March 21.

He was remanded in custody until he next appears via video link today.

Despite no formal pleas being given during the 34-minute hearing Hampton’s solicitor Andrew Gurney said he was “adamant that he was not guilty” of causing Jade’s death.

Jade lived in Ringwood and went to Poulner School, Ringwood School and Bournemouth and Poole College.

She was training to be a hairdresser.

She was a member of the Ringwood Young Firefighters Association.

At her funeral on Friday hundreds of friends and family attended Bournemouth Crematorium with ten of her fellow cadets forming a guard of honour as a fire engine arrived as part of the cortege.