Driver admits causing road deaths

An American man who drove on the wrong side of the road resulting in a fatal head-on smash has admitted three counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Nathan Doud, 26, from California, was driving a Citroen C4 on the A656 Ridge Road at Garforth, near Leeds, when it collided with a Ford Fiesta.

David Bell, 51, Stephen Thackwray, 57, and Brian Lewis, 55, died in the accident late on 30 July.

Mr Doud is on conditional bail and will be sentenced on 5 December.

The case was not opened in court on Wednesday, but Mr Doud's barrister Chris Batty said: "The circumstances of the case is he was inadvertently on the wrong side of the road, he being an American national of limited experience of driving this car in this country."

The case was adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Mr Doud, who is staying at an address in Lewes, East Sussex, was warned "all sentencing options remained open".