Shoreham Airshow Pilot Pleads Not Guilty To Manslaughter

A pilot whose plane crashed during the 2015Shoreham Airshow, killing 11 men, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

Andrew Hill, 54, faces trial on 11 charges of manslaughter by gross negligence and one of recklessly or negligently endangering an aircraft under air navigation laws.

The defendant, who is on bail, pleaded not guilty to all the charges relating to the crash on 22 August 2015.

He wore a grey suit and blue tie for his appearance at the Old Bailey before Judge Richard Marks QC.

The judge set a trial for 14 January 2019 and confirmed the case would be heard by a High Court judge.

The trial is expected to go on for up to seven weeks.

The victims were Maurice Rex Abrahams, Dylan Archer, Anthony David Brightwell, Matthew James Grimstone, Matthew Wesley Jones, James Graham Mallinson, Mark Alexander Reeves, Jacob Henry Schilt, Richard Jonathan Smith, Mark James Trussler and Daniele Gaetano Polito.

Hill, of Sandon, Hertfordshire, is accused of "recklessly or negligently" endangering a Hawker Hunter G-BXFI or any person on that aircraft contrary to Article 137 of the Air Navigation Order 2009.

Judge Marks ordered a pre-trial review at the Old Bailey on a date to be arranged at the end of October.

Hill remains on unconditional bail.