AN UNEMPLOYED man has been charged with manslaughter following the death of a woman in an alleged hit and run incident involving stolen vehicles.

Rebecca Nevins, 70, died when her Ford Fiesta was involved in a crash with a Mercedes AMG estate car on the A24 in Horsham on Friday, November 10.

Conor Dobson, 23, of no fixed address, appeared at Crawley Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with manslaughter and two counts of burglary.

Ms Nevins, of Manor Fields, Horsham, died in the crash with the black Mercedes that police believe was stolen during a burglary of a house in Goring.

In a joint statement her family said: “Rebecca was a loving mother of two, grandmother of two and a partner who was full of life and lit up the lives of everyone she met.

“She will be sorely missed by everybody.”

The crash was at the northbound carriageway on the A24 on the Farthings Hill roundabout, near Broadbridge Heath, shortly after 2.30pm.

A passenger in the Fiesta, a female friend of the driver, also 70 and from Horsham, suffered minor injuries.

She was taken to the East Surrey Hospital for treatment, but released later on the Friday.

Earlier in the day at 2.19pm officers traced the Mercedes estate seen leaving a service station in convoy with a Mercedes A Class, which was also thought to be stolen.

Police said both vehicles failed to stop for officers and that at 2.23pm the Mercedes A Class crashed into a hedge.

Police say the driver ran off, before he was arrested nearby.

The Mercedes estate continued to drive away, but police said they were not pursuing the vehicle when it was involved in the fatal crash around 11 minutes later.

Isaac McFadyen, 18, a student, of Hounslow Road, Hanworth, Feltham, appeared before Crawley magistrates on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, driving without a licence, driving without insurance and receiving stolen goods.

He pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving and has been remanded in custody to appear at crown court on December 11.

A 24-year-old woman from Feltham, Hounslow, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, has been released under investigation.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been notified about the incident.

Detective inspector Will Rolls said: “We offer our heartfelt sympathies to the families and specially trained officers are providing support.”