Man in court charged with death by dangerous driving after student killed

A man has appeared in court charged with causing the death of a university student who was struck by a van in central London.

Aalia Mahomed, who was a student at King’s College London, died at the scene of the collision on the Strand on March 18 last year.

The 20-year-old was in her second year of a physics and philosophy degree, according to the university’s website.

It is alleged that the van collided with a metal gate, knocking it off its hinges, before hitting the bench where Ms Mahomed was sitting, prosecutor Rachel Darlington told the court.

Jackson, wearing a black shirt and black trousers, spoke to confirm his identity and was not asked to enter a plea to the charges.

The 27-year-old, of Walton Road in Southampton, was released on conditional bail ahead of his next appearance at the Old Bailey on February 2.