A coach driver who died when his vehicle smashed into a block of flats was facing indecency charges.

Sean Shepherd, 38, of Kenilworth Close, Bevendean, Brighton, was found dead after his coach veered off the road and slammed into homes in Church Road, West Tarring, Worthing, last month.

It has now been confirmed that Mr Shepherd, a carpenter and builder, had been charged with two counts of indecent assault on an under-16.

The case had been heard at Brighton Magistrates Court and sent to Lewes Crown Court, where he had been due to appear a week after the crash to enter a plea. The file was closed after his death.

Mr Shepherd's coach demolished a lamp post while screeching round the corner from The Boulevard into Terringes Avenue.

It crashed into a house after ploughing through a garden wall and into a car parked in the drive.

The coach then reversed away and continued for half a mile before smashing in to the flats in Church Road.

After the accident, Mr Shepherd's brother Christopher, 36, from Brighton, said his family was devastated. He described his brother as a happy family man who loved his children and was in a loving relationship.

Mr Shepherd, a divorcee, was the father of two children from previous relationships.

The Sussex Police road policing department at Chichester is investigating the cause of the accident.

An inquest will be heard but no date has been fixed.

Mr Shepherd was driving a coach belonging to Crawley Luxury Coaches.

Two schoolgirls fled as the vehicle crashed the first time.

Neighbours rushed out and screamed at the driver to stop but he reversed out of the garden, having torn off the vehicle's rear exit door, and continued along Terringes Avenue.

Pensioners Patrick and Gillian Preston, who live at the house, were having lunch when they heard the crash.

Mrs Preston said: "When it hit it was like an explosion. I was horrified.

"By the time I looked out of the window the driver was trying to reverse, with difficulty. He appeared to be swaying.

"My husband was about to go out to him because we saw he was driving off but I told him not to get involved."

Mr Preston said: "I did not notice what he had done to the car until he had gone. We are keen gardeners and could have easily been out there."

The coach had earlier been seen driving erratically along the A27 before turning off into Worthing.

Three crews from Worthing fire station and two from Lancing helped free Mr Shepherd's body from beneath the vehicle.