A man accused of causing two deaths of two people in a road collision on the A3 last year was seen driving in excess of 120mph just before the incident happened and was under the influence of alcohol, a court has heard.

Deane Girdler, 43, from Woodham, is charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, after a collision on the A3 just south of the junction with Copsem Lane (A244) after midnight on Saturday, January 19, 2008. He denies both charges.

Preston Trueick, 61, from Byfleet and Catherine Cunningham, 67, from Liphook, Hampshire, died in the incident.

Opening the case for the prosecution at Kingston Crown Court on Monday, Simon Connolly claimed Mr Girdler was driving so badly his Audi A4 was noticed by other road users.

He said: “[Mr Girdler] was driving so dangerously that one driver near him had to call the police... saying desperately get someone out here to stop the driver, otherwise an accident is going to happen.”

Mr Connolly told the court one witness saw Mr Girdler travelling in excess of 120mph after the road’s speed limit changed from 50mph to the national speed limit.

He claimed Mr Girdler made a veering action from the fast lane into the inside lane, where his car then collided with the back of a black taxi being driven by Preston Trueick.

He said Mr Girdler’s car continued before coming to a stop on the slip road of the A244, but Mr Trueick’s taxi was forced further out into the road, eventually stopping sideways on in the fast lane.

Mr Connolly told the court at this point Mr Trueick was still alive, but moments later a Toyota Yaris, being driven by Catherine Cunningham, hit the taxi, causing it to be shunted along the road and to spin on to its side.

Mr Connolly said: “[The Crown suggests] the driving of Deane Girdler caused the death of both drivers. His driving caused a chain reaction causing the taxi to be paralysed in the fast moving road and the collision of the Yaris was inevitable. "No one else contributed to the collisions.”

The court also heard how witnesses at the scene claimed Mr Girdler was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision.

Mr Connolly added: “Once arrested, he refused to provide a specimen [to the police] - clearly a ploy to avoid the measurement of alcohol in his system.

“Because he refused, he was examined by a doctor - he wasn’t examined until 5.30am and his ability to drive was still impaired.”

When police asked Mr Girdler to explain what had happened that night, he described going into the inside lane and then said everything else was a blur, the court was told.

The trial continues.