Sailor accused of unlawful killing after collision

The trial was due to start today of a sailor accused of unlawful killing after his chemical tanker and another ship collided resulting in the death of a captain.

Brian Norcutt D’Esterre-Roberts, 39, from Ireland, is charged with neglect of duty and the unlawful killing of Captain Wolfram Gross, whose 1,000-tonne cargo ship the Ash sank following the crash off Hastings in October last year.