Trial date set in Lincoln Crown Court over fatal A52 crash near Skegness

A trial date has been set at Lincoln Crown Court in a case arising from a fatal crash on the A52 near Skegness. The case relates to a collision involving a car and a motorcycle at Croft Bank on Saturday 21 December 2024. The motorcyclist, Clayton Sykes, 23, from Skegness, died following the crash. At Lincoln Crown Court, Robbie Beeson, 20, of Queen's Estate, Wainfleet St Mary, denied a charge of causing death by dangerous driving. The court heard that he admitted an alternative charge of causing death by careless driving. That plea was not accepted by the prosecution, so the charge of causing death by dangerous driving is due to be considered at trial. Judge Catarina Sjolin-Knight adjourned the case and fixed a trial date to begin on 2 November. Addressing the defendant, the judge said the Crown did not accept the plea to causing death by careless driving and that there would therefore need to be a trial on the more serious charge. Beeson was granted unconditional bail. He is due to appear again at Lincoln Crown Court for a pre-trial hearing on 4 September. No findings have been made on the contested allegation, and the charge of causing death by dangerous driving remains denied. The issue for the trial will be whether the prosecution proves the allegation on the indictment. The admitted plea to the lesser offence has not resolved the case because it was not accepted by the prosecution. Court proceedings at this stage are limited to the charges, the plea entered by the defendant, and the timetable set by the judge. The trial listed for November is expected to deal with the evidence relating to the collision on the A52 at Croft Bank. Reporting restrictions and the requirement for a fair trial mean care must be taken to distinguish between matters stated in court and allegations that have not been proved. In this case, the fact of the crash, the death of Mr Sykes, the defendant's identity, the charges before the court, the pleas entered, the bail decision, and the future hearing dates were all matters stated in court. The allegation that the defendant caused death by dangerous driving has not been proved and will be decided by the court in due course. The Lincoln Post has not independently verified these claims. This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by BBC News.