A TEENAGER will stand trial for causing the death of a friend by dangerous driving.

Jay Haines, 17, of Machen Close, Risca, denies causing the death of 18-year-old Morgan Hackling by dangerous driving on November 6, last year.

At a Newport Crown Court hearing, Haines, dressed in a white shirt and grey striped tie, spoke only to enter his plea.

The matter was then adjourned ahead of a five-day trial starting on October 8 and he was released on unconditional bail.

Mr Hackling, of Gwendoline Road, Risca, died in the early hours of November 6 following an accident on the town's Tredegar Street, just two streets away from his home.

The former Coleg Gwent student was a front-seat passenger in a Suzuki Alto car being driven by Haines, which overturned opposite Moriah Baptist Church at around 1.35am.

Mr Hackling, who had previously studied Health and Social Care at the college's Cross Keys campus, was taken to Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital with serious injuries but was later pronounced dead.

Following Mr Hackling's death mourners tied more than 20 bouquets of flowers to a lamppost at the crash site and more than 350 people joined two public Facebook groups set up in the teenager's memory.