A teenager accused of causing the death of another youth when his pick-up truck crashed will stand trial later this year.

Kieran Simpson was driving Mitsubishi L200 which crashed into a parked car on the A2 near the junction with Playstool Road in Newington in the late evening of Thursday, May 18 last year.

Former Howard School pupil Jack Burmingham, 17, of Plomley Close, Rainham, suffered fatal injuries in the accident. Three others were also injured.

James Leonard, defending, requested at Maidstone Crown Court today that Simpson, 18, should not enter a plea as CCTV evidence had not been received from the prosecution and an expert had to be consulted.

But Judge David Griffith-Jones QC insisted that arraignment should go ahead, saying: “He doesn’t need an expert to know what his plea might be.”

Simpson, of Gladwyn Close, Rainham, then entered a not guilty plea. A further hearing will be held on March 16 and the trial was set for May 18. Unconditional bail was continued.

Former teachers have paid tribute to Jack, who lived with his parents Mark and Kerry and younger sister Abbey.

He left The Howard School at the end the 2015 academic year. After his death, more than £4,000 was raised in an online fundraising page for Jack’s family.