A former football coach has died in a car crash on the day his trial was due to begin in the UK over allegations he sexually abused boys aged under 16.
Michael Carson, 75, and known as ‘Kit’, was set to appear in court in Peterborough on Monday to face 12 counts of indecent assault and one of inciting a child to sexual activity, between the period 1978 to 2009.
He was arrested in 2017, but denied the allegations against him.
However, he died when his Mazda left the road and hit a tree in a single-vehicle crash on Monday morning, just 15 minutes before the trial was due to begin in court at 10:00 GMT.
His wife, Pauline Carson, formally identified his body, and the court was informed of his death on Tuesday. The judge then declared that the case be closed.
The crash took place at Bottisham, near Cambridge, about 40 miles from the court building, the Guardian reported.
Police are considering the possibility that Carson was so far from court as he was confused over the start date of his trial, the newspaper added.
Carson had worked as a coach at English clubs Norwich, Peterborough and Cambridge. He was accused of abusing 11 boys in total.