TWO motorists accused of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after two pedestrians were badly hurt at Botchergate in central Carlisle are to stand trial later this year.
Owen Luke Brown, 19, and Stephen Reay, 56, appeared side-by-side in a dock at the city’s crown court this morning (MON).
During a short hearing in front of Judge James Adkin, Brown and Reay each pleaded not guilty to two charges. Each of these alleges that Brown and Reay caused serious injury, by dangerous driving, to two men on September 15 last year.
At the time of the incident, outside the Border Rambler pub at around 7pm, Brown is said to have been driving a Ford Fiesta, and Reay a Skoda Octavia taxi.
In view of their denials, both Brown and Reay will stand trial in front of a jury at the crown court. A number of expert witnesses are due to give evidence during that trial.
The hearing is due to start on October 7 and, it is estimated, will last around five days.
In the meantime Brown, of Dalston Road, Carlisle, and Reay, of Cocklakes, near Carlisle, were granted bail by Judge Adkin.
*A Cumbria police spokesman said at the time of the Saturday night incident in September that a number of pedestrians had suffered “varying degrees of injury” as a result of a road traffic collision.
Two Whitehaven men – one aged in his 20s and another in his 50s – were said to have suffered serious injuries. Four other people, including a Carlisle pensioner, were reported to have suffered minor injuries.
