A lorry driver involved in a horror smash in a busy town centre may have suffered "a medical episode", a court heard.

Mariusz Sudol was at the wheel of a Renault HGV when it collided with several vehicles in London Road, Southborough, in June last year.

The 34-year-old was arrested after the 13-car pile-up and charged with two offences of dangerous driving and one of failing to stop following an accident.

He appeared at Maidstone Crown Court today but his legal team asked that the plea and trial preparation hearing be adjourned to enable further investigations, including the interpretation of Sudol's Polish medical records.

Alexander Stein, defending, said Sudol, of St Mark's Avenue, Northfleet, had had "a medical episode of some sort" at the time of the accident and that "proper" investigations needed to be made.

Judge Philip St.John-Stevens released Sudol on unconditional bail until his next hearing on June 17.

"We will need to know the medical position and if it takes that long, then it takes that long," he said.

The collision caused London Road to be closed between Speldhurst Road and Western Road for seven hours, with more than nine emergency vehicles and the air ambulance attending.