Two men have appeared at the Old Bailey charged with causing death by dangerous driving after the crash that killed Kingston University student Hina Shamim in March 2015.

But when Farid Reza, 36, and William Spicer, 27, appeared before Judge Richard Hone QC this morning, their lawyers asked to delay the plea and preparation hearing until September – 18 months on from Miss Shamim’s death – in order to have more time to process “technical evidence” served some four weeks ago.

Miss Shamim, 21, was killed while crossing Penrhyn Road outside the university as she went to hand in her final piece of coursework on March 31 last year.

Originally from Peterborough, she was in her final year as a sports science and nutrition student at Kingston University.

Friends and family described her after she died as a “lovely person” who loved Kingston and “felt it was her home”.

Mr Reza, of Surbiton Road, Kingston, and Mr Spicer, of Somervell Road, Harrow, were released on bail and will next appear at the Old Bailey on September 28.

Judge Hone said the delay between the crash and today’s hearing was “unsatisfactory” and “not good”.