Man in court after five killed in north-east crash

A man has appeared in court facing a charge of causing death by dangerous driving after five people died in a north-east road crash.

The crash, which involved a minibus and a car, took place on the A96 near Keith on July 26 last year.

The youngest of the casualties was four-year-old Lorenzo Ciociola from Sicily.

The boy was a passenger in the Fiat minibus along with 63-year-old Frances Saliba Patane who also died as a result of the crash.

The others were Edward (Ted) Reid, 63, from MacDuff, who was travelling in the Nissan X-Trail along with Evalyn Collie, 69 and Audrey Appleby, 70, both from Aberchirder.

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Alfredo Ciociola, 46, whose general address was given as Sicily, appeared in private at Elgin Sheriff Court charged in connection with the matter.

He is facing a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

He made no plea during the hearing and the case was committed for further examination.

Ciociola was granted bail and no further court dates have been set.