A motorist has appeared before a district judge accused of causing the death of an 82-year-old man by dangerous driving.

Calum Wilkinson, 25, who also faces to charges of possessing extreme pornography, made a brief appearance at Carlisle's Rickergate courts complex but did not enter pleas to any of the three charges he faces.

The death by dangerous driving offence is said to have happened on the A66 at Braithwaite on April 29 when Wilkinson, of Eagle Terrace, Main Road, Flimby, Maryport, was driving a VW car.

The man whose death the defendant is accused of causing was David Bennell, of Braithwaite. After the accident, he was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle by air ambulance but he was pronounced dead the next day.

The pornography charges against Wilkinson relate to explicit images involving people and animals which the defendant allegedly possessed on dates in November 2014 and April 2015.

District Judge Gerald Chalk sent the case to Carlisle Crown Court for a hearing on January 9.

At the time of Mr Bennell's death, his daughter said Mr Bennell's death had his family devastated. “He was always doing things for other people and charities,” she said.

“He was treasurer for Cumbria Mothers Union which he kept on after the loss of his wife four years ago and will be sorely missed.

"They say age is just a number and in my dad’s case that was definitely true.

“He still rode his push bike and walked a few miles each day.”