A defendant jointly accused of causing the death of a Weymouth man by dangerous driving has left the country, jurors have been told.

In a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court, Adrian Wojciechowski, 29, and Thomas Russell, 39 deny causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

David Grant-Jones, 49, from Weymouth, was killed in the crash on the A35 Puddletown Bypass on July 14 last year.

While the jury were told at the start of the case that Wojciechowski, of Surrey, was absent from the proceedings, they were not told any details.

They have now been told by prosecutor Simon Jones that Wojciechowski, who was driving the white BMW that collided with Mr Grant-Jones’ Land Rover Freelander in the fatal crash, appears to have left the UK via the Channel Tunnel.

Mr Jones presented these agreed facts to the jury, stating that Wojciechowski is believed to have travelled through France and Germany and is currently believed to be in Poland.

The jury later also heard further detail of a toxicology report on Wojciechowski’s blood.

As previously reported, a blood sample was taken from Wojciechowski following the fatal crash which was analysed.

Through this, it was determined that he delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary active component of cannabis, in his system at the time of the crash.

The jury was told that the amount specified in the toxicology report was “just above the drug driving limit for cannabis,” but that “the presence of drugs alone does not in itself demonstrate impairment.”

Much of yesterday's proceedings was taken up by legal deliberations between the presiding Judge Stephen Climie, the prosecutor Simon Jones and the defence advocate for Thomas Russell, Adam Vaitilingam.

Judge Climie told the jury: “You have all heard the expression ‘how long is a piece of string?’ well that expression also applies to how long a legal argument can take.”

The trial continues.