TWO men charged with causing the death of teenager Max Lewis in a collision near Melksham have been remanded in custody after magistrates in Swindon revoked the bail they had been given following the accident last November.

Max, 19, from Seend, died in a two-vehicle accident shortly before 3pm on November 15, when the red Citroen Saxo he was a passenger in collided with an oncoming white Renault Master van on Forest Lane.

Five days later, Connor Forester, 18, and Julian Drew, who was then 25, suspected of being the drivers of two other vehicles involved, a black Citroen Saxo and a silver Nissan Primera, were arrested on charges including causing death by dangerous driving and bailed.

They had been on bail until this week, when they appeared before magistrates in Swindon. They were arrested on Tuesday evening on suspicion of driving while unfit through drugs. Neither have yet been charged with that offence and police inquiries are continuing.

Today Forester burst into tears when the court ruled he and co-defendant Julian Drew, now 26, would be refused bail and held in custody.

Forester, of Meadow Road, Melksham, sat in the dock with a hood pulled up and his head in his hands, while Drew, of Littlejohn Avenue, Melksham, sat calmly as the bench heard their application for bail.

Magistrates refused an application for bail made by Mark Glendenning, defending the pair.

No pleas were entered during the hearing.

Jointly with Daniel Palmer, also from Melksham, who was driving the car in which Max Lewis was a passenger, the pair are charged with dangerous driving, using a motor vehicle without third party insurance, and causing death by dangerous driving.

Forester is also charged with driving without a licence, and Drew with driving while disqualified.

Forester and Drew will next appear at Swindon Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on May 1.

Max, 19, lived in Baldham, Seend, with his father Brian Atkinson, 54. His mum Nicky Lewis, 50, lives nearby in Martinslade with Max’s older brother Dan, 24.

Max had attended Seend CofE Primary School when he was a child and then went on to study at the former George Ward School in Melksham. He also spent a year at Wiltshire College’s Chippenham studying engineering.