A 32-year-old man has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with the manslaughter of former prostitute Monica Coghlan.

Ms Coghlan, 50, of Kellett Street, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, died after a car crash near Huddersfield last Thursday.

Gary Day of Moldgreen, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, was also charged with robbery, possession of a firearm and theft in connection with an alleged robbery at a chemist's in Birkby on the same night.

Air ambulance

Appearing at Huddersfield magistrates court, he was remanded in custody until the next hearing at Bradford Crown Court on 9 May.

Ms Coghlan was driving her Ford Fiesta car when it was involved in a collision with a Jaguar.

She was cut free by firefighters and taken by air ambulance to the Leeds General Infirmary but died from her injuries.

Mr Day was taken to the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary after the collision and was released on Tuesday.

The former prostitute was thrust into the limelight during Jeffrey Archer's libel trial against the Daily Star newspaper in 1987.

Perjury charge

The multi-millionaire novelist and former Tory party deputy chairman successfully sued The Star after it ran an article saying he had slept with her.

After the publicity of the case, Ms Coghlan lived outside the media glare with her teenage son in Rochdale.

But last year, Lord Archer was charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice in connection with the libel case.

He pleaded not guilty and his trial is due to start later this month. Ms Coghlan was not listed as a witness.