A FATHER of four sat drinking champagne in a bar only hours after he was involved in a fatal road accident, a court heard.

Darin Brownlee-Jones, 33, was involved in the collision with motorcyclist Trevor Shearman in Poynings on September 29 last year.

Mr Shearman, of Lyndhurst Road, Hove, suffered fatal injuries in the crash in Saddlescome Road.

Lewes Crown Court heard that after the crash, Brownlee-Jones drove on to Hove, where he abandoned his car.

Martin Field, prosecuting, said the financial consultant then took a taxi to the Grand Hotel in Brighton.

He went to McLusky's bar, in West Street, Brighton, where he drank half a bottle of champagne and shared the rest with staff.

Brownlee-Jones, of Oldbury Close, Horsham, denies causing death by dangerous driving.

The court heard Brownlee-Jones had overtaken another car in his Vauxhall Calibra just after the roundabout on the A281.

But before he could pull back on to his side of the road he was in collision with Mr Shearman's motorbike.

The Calibra then appeared to lose control and veered into a hedge before righting itself and speeding off.

Mr Shearman died almost instantly.

Brownlee-Jones was arrested when police arrived at McLusky's.

When he was first interviewed by police he denied being the driver of the car but did admit drinking four or five pints of Fosters lager at lunchtime in Horsham.

But in his second interview he admitted driving the

Calibra but claimed he had only drunk three or four pints earlier in the day.

When asked by police why he did not stop after the accident, Brownlee-Jones replied: "I feared I would have been charged with drink driving."

The trial continues.

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