Pair appear in court over teen’s death
TWO men have appeared in court charged in connection with the death of a teenage girl from Leicestershire.
Jason Burder and Adam King appeared at Leicester Crown Court last Friday via a live video link where both men are on remand.
They are accused of the manslaughter of 16-year old Megan Bannister by gross negligence.
Neither Burder, 28, nor King, 27, spoke except to acknowledge their names during the 13-minute hearing. No pleas were entered. Burder, of Braunstone Avenue, and King, of Waltham Avenue, both Leicester, were charged with the alleged offence, following an incident on May 14.
Both defendants were arrested after a crash between a Vauxhall Astra, allegedly being driven by Burder, and a motorbike, at around 11.45am.
Megan’s body was found in the crashed car on Desford Road, Enderby.
Miranda Moore QC, prosecuting, said the Crown were awaiting toxicology reports.
Burder’s barrister was Amar Mehta and defence counsel for King was Caroline Bray.
There were no applications for bail.
Judge Nicholas Dean QC adjourned the case for a plea and trial preparation hearing on September 8.
He told the defendants he was remanding them back into custody and said: “You haven’t been asked to enter pleas as an indictment has not yet been lodged.”
Megan’s family attended the hearing.
In a statement issued following her death, relatives of Megan described the Wigston College pupil as “our beautiful, talented, loving daughter and sister” and said their hearts had been “utterly broken”.
“The thought of life without Megan is impossible to imagine, and we cannot adequately express in words the sense of numbness and overwhelming grief we feel at her loss.”