A FATHER-of-four appeared in court yesterday accused of causing the deaths of the ten people who died in the Selby rail disaster.

Gary Hart, 36, of Church Lane, Strubby, Lincolnshire, appeared before Selby Magistrates Court in connection with the crash at the village of Great Heck, near Selby, North Yorkshire, on February 28, which claimed the lives of six passengers and four railway staff.

Hart was driving a Land Rover which left the M62 motorway, careered down a grass embankment and ended up on the East Coast Main Line.

Hart managed to get out of the vehicle shortly before a high-speed passenger train hit the Land Rover and was derailed.

The passenger train then collided with a freight train travelling in the opposite direction.

Hart remained impassive as he was charged with causing the death of ten people by dangerous driving but confirmed he understood the charges.

Those who died were: business manager Clive Vidgen, 39, of Bishopthorpe, York; civil engineer Alan Ensor, 44, of Dunnington, near York; freight co-ordinator Barry Needham, 40, of New Earswick, York; Professor Steve Baldwin, 39, of Piccadilly, York; church warden Christopher Terry, 30, of York; IT manager Robert Shakespeare, 43, of Beverley, East Yorkshire; GNER train driver John Weddle, 47, of Throckley; buffet car chef Paul Taylor, 42, of Newcastle; GNER customer operation leader Raymond Robson, 43, of Whitely Bay; and freight train driver Stephen Dunn, 39, of Selby.

Wearing a dark suit, white shirt and grey tie, he was accompanied to the court appearance by his wife, Elaine.

He spoke only to confirm his name, age and address and the case was transferred to York Crown Court.