Following a fatal road traffic collision on the A31 in Ringwood, the hit and run driver of the Volvo XC90 involved in the accident on 24 February has been charged. Sixteen-year-old Jade died at the scene from a severe head injury.
Brian Hampton a health and safety consultant from Ashford, who works on the railways in Poole, was arrested in Kent and had his car seized on 21 March, the day before Jade’s funeral.
The 58-year-old appeared at Bournemouth Magistrates Court on Saturday to face charges and was remanded in custody. Today he appeared in court via videolink. Hampton was charged with causing death by careless driving, failing to stop and driving while disqualified. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of causing death by careless driving and will appear in court in a few weeks’ time for the case to be committed to Crown Court.
Jade lived in Ringwood and attended Bournemouth and Poole College where she was training to be a hairdresser. She was a member of the Ringwood Young Firefighters Association and ten of her fellow cadets formed a guard of honour at her funeral on 22 March. Hundreds of friends and family attended at Bournemouth Crematorium, many wearing pink and black, Jade’s favourite colours.
