THE jury in the case of three friends accused of causing the death of Max Lewis by dangerous driving has retired to consider its verdicts.

The 19-year-old was killed when the car he was a passenger in was in collision with a large van on Forest Road, Lacock, on Saturday November 15 last year.

Dan Palmer, 23, who was driving the Citroen Saxo, has admitted causing his death by careless driving but denies the more serious death by dangerous driving.

And he is joined in the dock by 26-year-old Julian Drew and Connor Forrester, 19, who it is alleged he was racing with.

They also deny causing death by dangerous driving as well as the lesser charge of dangerous driving and are on trial at Swindon Crown Court.

Palmer and Forrester, along with Max and a fourth lad, had been hanging out at a car park in Lacock before the crash at about 3pm on the way home to Melksham.

They say they left independently, though a few minutes apart, and on the way out of the village Forrester said he came up behind Drew's car by chance.

Palmer said he saw the two cars up ahead on the road out of Lacock and didn't set eyes on them again that day.

He said he was going to meet them back on the Forest estate where they lived and was in no rush to get there.

As he was heading back he said a horse transporter came round the corner, partly on his side of the road, forcing him on to the grass verge.

His car bounced off the bank into the path sliding sideways into the path of the oncoming van, leaving Max dead at the scene.

Palmer, the only one of the three to give evidence at the trial, insisted they had not been racing and said he was not driving fast that day.

However the driver of the horsebox insisted she was tucked in on her side of the road and the occupants of two other cars spoke of seeing the defendants' vehicles being driven in convoy and at speed.

Drew, of Littlejohn Avenue, Forester, of Meadow Road, and Palmer, of Bowmans Court, both Melksham, deny death by dangerous driving.

Drew and Forester also deny alternative counts of dangerous driving. Palmer admits death by careless driving.

The case continues.