A BRADFORD man has told a court he was the driver of a car which struck and killed a pedestrian on the A647 Stanningley bypass.

Majid Hussain Malik, 27, who is accused of causing the death of James Gilbey by dangerous driving shortly before midnight on July 13, appeared over a videolink from Armley prison during a 12-minute-long preliminary hearing at Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

He told Judge Tom Bayliss QC he was not represented for the hearing because of the solicitors' action over legal aid.

The judge said: “You are charged with causing death by dangerous driving. I need to make this clear it is plainly a serious offence. People who plead guilty at an early stage get a lesser sentence than those convicted by a jury.”

Malik indicated he understood that and was asked if he intended to offer any pleas at this stage.

He told the judge he did not know if he wanted to plead to causing death by dangerous or death by careless and needed to take legal advice on the matter.

“You don’t deny you were the driver,” asked the judge.

“No” replied Malik who said he had handed himself in to the police.

“I am not denying I was the driver, I was. I just panicked.”

Carmel Pearson prosecuting said a trial date should be fixed in case there has to be a trial on the issue of whether his driving was dangerous.

Judge Bayliss told Malik, of Silverhill Avenue, Bradford Moor, that he would fix a timetable and trial date. The prosecution was ordered to serve its papers in the case by September 4 and a plea and case management hearing was set for October 2.

The judge said by the next hearing Malik should prepare a defence statement saying where he takes issue with the prosecution case.

Malik told the judge “I have complied with the police, they wanted the car and I gave it to them. I panicked and my head were in a mess that’s the only reason I left the scene.”

Remanded him in custody until the next hearing, Judge Bayliss told him: “If you do manage to take advice from your solicitors and wish to plead guilty to causing death by dangerous driving you should arrange for your lawyers to have the case relisted as soon as possible.”

Mr Gilbey, 25, a gas worker, of Bramley, was struck by a blue Volkswagen Golf while returning home after a night out with a friend.

Police described him as a “devoted and loving son, brother and boyfriend”.

A 28-year-old Bradford man, who is alleged to have been the driver of an Audi A5 travelling in convoy with the Golf at the time of the crash, is on bail pending further inquiries after he was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.