A HEALTH and safety consultant who works in Poole has appeared in court today charged over the crash that killed 16-year-old Jade Clark on the A31.

Police investigating her death charged a man last night with driving without due care and attention and thereby causing Jade's death as well as seven other motoring offences including failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

Jade was in a collision with a Volvo XC90 as she rode her moped along the A31 near Ashley Heath last month.

She died at the scene from a severe head injury.

Brian Hampton, 58, from Kent, was arrested in the Ashford area at around 10am on Thursday. A Volvo XC90 was also seized.

Hampton, lives in Hornash Lane in Shadoxhurst near Ashford, but works as a health and safety consultant on the railway in Poole.

He faced eight motoring offences.

The offences related to the date of Jade's death, February 24, were driving without due care and attention and causing Jade's death.

He was charged with driving while disqualified on the same date, driving without insurance and failing to stop following an accident.

He was also charged with driving while disqualified and without insurance on February 25 and March 21. 

He appeared before Magistrates this morning and has been remanded in custody until his next hearing on Monday. 

Hampton did not enter a plea.

The news came hours after Jade's family laid her to rest at Bournemouth Crematorium.

After his arrest Inspector Matt Butler, of the Dorset Police Traffic Unit, said: “Following a thorough investigation I can now confirm that the arrested man has been charged.

“I would like to express my personal gratitude to the local community and the media for the huge amount of support that has been shown to this investigation.”

Following the tragedy, which happened at 8.23pm on Sunday February 24, officers launched an extensive search for a Volvo XC90.

The joint investigation between the force’s major crime investigation team and the traffic unit saw more than 1,000 vehicles were eliminated by investigators.

Witnesses and anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 101 quoting incident number 24:393 or the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.