Man remanded over deaths of child actor and aunt in police chase crash

A man has appeared in court charged with causing the deaths by dangerous driving of a child actor and his aunt.

Makayah McDermott, 10, and Rosie Cooper, 34, were walking along Lennard Road in Penge, south-east London, when a car being chased by police ploughed into them on Wednesday afternoon.

Joshua Dobby, 23, of no fixed address, appeared at Bromley Magistrates' Court on Friday and spoke only to confirm his name and age.

He is also charged with one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, two counts of causing death by driving while unlicensed and uninsured, and two counts of aggravated vehicle-taking.

He is alleged to have lost control of a stolen car which mounted the kerb and hit a bollard before killing Makayah and Ms Cooper.

Makayah's 13-year-old twin sisters, Niyah and Yahla, and an eight-year-old girl who is also related to them were injured in the incident which happened at about 2pm.

The twins were trapped underneath the black Ford Focus but managed to crawl out when bystanders lifted the car off them.

No bail application was made during the short hearing.

Dobby was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on September 30.

The three girls remain in hospital but their injuries are not being treated as life-threatening, police said.