Driver charged with death of pedestrian he ‘knocked down’ after he died from Covid in hospital

A motorist has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a man he allegedly hit caught Covid-19 in hospital and died.

Retired lecturer Christopher Pack, 69, was knocked down just outside his home in Maidstone, Kent, on 29 December last year.

He suffered a fractured right femur and was taken to hospital, where he had been for three weeks when he contracted coronavirus.

He died a week later.

Smail Afafsa, 54, appeared in Maidstone Magistrates Court accused of causing Mr Pack's death by dangerous driving, of causing serious injury to Mr Pack by dangerous driving and of failing to stop after an accident.

Prosecutor Victoria McGrady said at about 1.15pm that day, Afafsa drove the wrong way down a one-way road, struck Mr Pack and failed to stop.

Afafsa indicated a not guilty plea, with his lawyer arguing if Mr Pack, who used to work at the University of Kent, had died from Covid-19 it was not a direct result of the injuries he received.

But the prosecutor argued in return if Mr Pack had not been injured, he would not have been in hospital to catch the virus.

Afafsa, who will have an Algerian-speaking interpreter at the trial, was released on unconditional bail.

The case was sent to Maidstone Crown Court for the first hearing set for 8 November.