A man on trial accused of killing two people by causing a crash on the A3 last year was seen by witnesses trying to drive away from the scene after the incident had happened, a court has heard.

Deane Girdler, 43, from Woodham, faces two counts of causing death by dangerous driving following the crash, just south of the junction with Copsem Lane (A244) after midnight on Saturday, January 19 last year.

Preston Trueick, 61, a black cab driver from Byfleet, and Catherine Cunningham, 67, from Liphook, Hampshire, died in the crash.

Mr Girdler denies both charges.

On Tuesday, July 7, the jury at Kingston Crown Court heard evidence from two Territorial Army soldiers who had been travelling in a minibus to Longmoor training camp in Liss, Hampshire, on the night the accident took place, and were among the first at the scene.

Sergeant Major David Simpson, who drove the minibus, told the court that after the collision he saw Mr Girdler make an unsuccessful attempt to drive away in his Audi A4.

He said: “I shouted at two of my guys to get him out of the vehicle and get him on to the hard shoulder. They opened the door and pulled him out.”

He also said there was a very strong smell of alcohol on the defendant, who could not stand up straight.

CSM Simpson told the jury that before the incident Mr Girdler’s car had driven past the minibus at about 115mph to 120mph.

Michael Harnell, one the soldiers left in charge of Mr Girdler, told the court he had also seen the defendant trying to start the car and he was “incredibly intoxicated”.

Barrister for the defence, Charles Royle, suggested to Mr Harnell his client had not been drunk but in shock and the soldiers had mistaken the sound of the car’s fan for the ignition.

But Mr Harnell told the court the noises coincided with Mr Girdler trying to turn the car’s key.

He also said that when Mr Girdler’s car had driven past the minibus before the incident, it was moving so fast it caused their vehicle to shake.

He said: “The minibus moved when [the Audi] passed, which was odd because it [the minibus] was loaded with 16 soldiers.”

The trial continues.