A man has denied causing death by dangerous driving in a crash which caused 12 hours of chaos on the A34.

Richard Brown, 55, pleaded not guilty at Oxford Crown Court yesterday to causing the death of John Kilty, 46, by driving dangerously on the A34 between Pear Tree and Botley.

Brown, of Seaford, Cheshire, also pleaded not guilty to a second charge, of driving dangerously.

The early morning crash happened on December 14, 2004, when three lorries were in collision.

At the time, the Oxford Mail reported that the crash left roads gridlocked around the city for 12 hours.

It led to huge delays near the city centre when a number of lorries drove along Botley Road, but were forced to turn back at the station railway bridge, because it was too low.

Mr Kilty, one of the drivers involved in the crash, was cut free from his crushed car transporter and taken to hospital with serious injuries, but died later.

The case against Brown was adjourned, for a trial date yet to be fixed.