Bus driver appears in court charged with two deaths in Coventry crash

A 79-year-old bus driver has appeared in court charged with killing a seven-year-old passenger and a pedestrian in a city centre crash.

Kailash Chander is alleged to have caused the deaths of Rowan Fitzgerald and 76-year-old Dora Hancox by dangerous driving in Coventry in October 2015.

Mrs Hancox, a former foster carer from Nuneaton, and primary school pupil Rowan were both pronounced dead at the scene after the double-decker bus struck the side of a Sainsbury's supermarket in Trinity Street.

Chander, from Leamington Spa, also faces two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, while bus operator Midland Red (South) Ltd has already admitted two health and safety breaches.

Former Leamington mayor Chander was not asked to enter a plea, speaking only to confirm his name during a 45-minute hearing at Warwick Crown Court.

Judge Andrew Lockhart QC granted Chander unconditional bail to provisionally appear at Birmingham Crown Court at a date to be confirmed.