A Romanian bodybuilder was ordered to stand trial today charged with killing a 23-year-old landscape gardener in a hit-and-run crash in his £120,000 Bentley.
George Claudiu Albu, 31 of Porchester Road, Bayswater, made a 10 minute appearance at West London Magistrates’ Court.
District Judge Quentin Purdy remanded him in custody to appear at a preliminary hearing at Southwark Crown Court on August 24.
There was no application for bail.
The Bentley was left abandoned in the street in Pembridge Villas, one of Notting Hill’s most affluent streets, after the fatal collision with the headlights on, doors open with music playing.
The victim, Mr Jones worked for grounds maintenance company Quadron, was hit as he tried to direct traffic around his broken-down van.
The court heard that Mr Jones, had been wearing a high-vis jacket and, according to witnesses, the Bentley had been travelling at up to 70mph in a 30 mph limit road.
Prosecutor Kate Shilton said that before the fatal collision police had spoken to Mr Jones as he directed traffic around his vehicle and had been satisfied it was not causing an obstruction on the well-lit road.
Albu, who lives in a £1million flat with a woman who is understood to be his wife, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and driving a vehicle not in accordance with licence and while uninsured, and failing to stop at the scene of a collision.
Albu had been arrested on Friday after police launched a manhunt for two men seen fleeing the Bentley Continental after the fatal crash in Notting Hill at 11.50pm on Thursday.
Pictures posted on social media show Mr Albu posing with a Bentley and other-high performance cars.
Neighbours described him as a keen bodybuilder who was frequently seen at the LA Fitness in Moscow Road, Bayswater. He was often seen in casual clothes driving expensive sportscars.
They said they did not know what he did for a living but he was a “quiet” neighbour.
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Quadron called Mr Jones's death “tragic”. It released a short statement saying: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of our colleague at this difficult time.”
A Quadron staff member paid tribute to him calling him: “One of the loveliest people you could work with”.
Officers from the Met Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit based at Merton continue to investigate the crash.
They seized both the Bentley and the van for forensic examination.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the witness appeal line on 020 8543 5157, police via 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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