A TRIAL date has been set for a man charged with causing death by dangerous driving in a horror crash on the A34 near Oxford last year.

Lorry driver Thomas Hunter, 58, of Mansfield Road, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, appeared for the first time at Oxford Crown Court on Friday as prosecutors set a date for his trial.

Hunter - who only has one hand - stared on and showed little emotion as a fixture was set for July 17 for a trial expected to last up to ten days.

The charge relates to an crash on August 25 last year when three-year old Isla Wiggin was seriously injured after an eight-vehicle pile-up on the A34 at Hinksey near Oxford.

Isla died in hospital as a result of her injuries two days later on August 27.

Hunter is also charged with causing serious injury to Isla’s mother Collette Wiggin, 31, who was the driver in the car struck by the lorry.

He was arrested on the same day as the crash and later charged by police on December 5 before appearing at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on January 17.

Hunter is yet to be officially arraigned and he was released on bail yesterday on the condition that he does not drive any vehicles.