Possible further charges over fatal e-scooter crash

A court has heard there could be "more serious charges" for a driver already accused of failing to stop at the scene of a crash that killed a brother and sister who were riding an e-scooter.

Siblings Roman Casselden, 16, and nine-year-old Darcie died after they were struck by a car in Pitsea, near Basildon, Essex, on 1 February.

Deimante Ziobryte, of Merrivale, Benfleet, is charged with being the driver of a car which failed to stop after a road accident.

At Basildon Magistrates' Court, District Judge Christopher Williams said: "I gather that there are ongoing investigations and consideration is being given to whether more serious charges arise."

Ziobryte did not attend the hearing, which the judge said was held to comply with time limits in summary-only cases.

Prosecutors told the court they were awaiting a forensic report.

The case was adjourned with the next hearing scheduled at Basildon Magistrates' Court for 6 March.

The judge said it was "so the CPS can have the report and decide what's going to happen after that".

An inquest into the two deaths, which was opened and suspended last February pending the outcome of the police investigation, heard the siblings were on an e-scooter near the Stokefelde junction with Ashlyns.

Area coroner Michelle Brown concluded the pair died of traumatic head injuries.

Darcie was pronounced dead by emergency services at 19:10 GMT and Roman at 19:50 GMT, she said.

Ms Brown said: "They were very, very young and these were tragic circumstances."

The children's mother, Emma, said in a statement released through police that "their love, kindness and spirit live on in the hearts of all who knew them".

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