A bus driver accused of causing the death of a 70-year-old man after a crash at a busy depot has appeared in court for the first time.

Paul Kirby was at the wheel of a single-decker Stagecoach 103 bus when it crashed into railings and then into a shelter where John Spearpoint had been waiting to catch a service in Folkestone.

Mr Spearpoint was airlifted to a London hospital where he underwent emergency surgery, but his condition deteriorated and he died on August 28, 2022, eight days after the horror crash.

Despite the incident happening on August 20 that year at the bus station in Middelburg Square in the town, Kent Police only confirmed he was charged with causing death by dangerous driving earlier this month.

The charge followed a lengthy investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

An inquest into Mr Spearpoint’s death, which was opened and adjourned in September 2022, heard how he was left trapped for 45 minutes following the crash.

Coroner Katrina Hepburn told the court Mr Spearpoint, who lived in Bonsor Road in Folkestone, died as a result of multiple organ failure caused by complications from the crash injury.

Kirby, 65, appeared in the dock at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court this morning but didn’t enter any plea in relation to the charge and prosecutor Victoria Aked told District Judge Jennifer Twite that the case should be sent to the crown court to be dealt with.

She added: “The incident happened at Folkestone bus station and the bus left a bay at high speed and it went over the pedestrian island and then hit a shelter where Mr Spearpoint was sitting at another bay.

“He was trapped underneath the shelter and this resulted in fatal injuries.”

Following his tragic death tributes were paid to Mr Spearpoint, a former armed forces man who was known around the town for his involvement in model-making.

He had previously worked at the Model Transport shop which once traded on Guildhall Street.

His former employer at the store, Trevor Claringbold, paid tribute to him by describing him as "very laid back, gentle, always smiling".

"He was good fun, he was always part of the team," he said.

"Everybody liked him, he was just one of those guys that you instantly took a liking to, he didn't have a bad word to say about anybody, and just lived life to the full.

"He used to enjoy himself and just got on with things that made him happy."

A spokesman for bus operator Stagecoach also spoke out after his death and said: "Our heart goes out to the family of the gentleman who has died and to his loved ones.”

Kirby, who used to live in Folkestone, but is now of Hillend Place, Northern Moor, Manchester, was granted bail until his next hearing which will be at Canterbury Crown Court on August 12.