An inquest is set to open into the death of a former youth football coach and scout whose car crashed into a tree on the day he was due to go on trial on historical sex abuse charges.

Michael “Kit” Carson, 75, had denied 12 counts of indecent assault and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The allegations involved 11 boys under the age of 16, between 1978 and 2009.

Kit Carson court case
The scene of the crash on the A1303 near Bottisham in Cambridgeshire (Joe Giddens/PA)

Carson’s trial was listed to begin at Peterborough Crown Court on January 7, but he died in a crash that morning.

Cambridgeshire Police said his red Mazda 3 left the road and went into a tree on the A1303 at Bottisham, around seven miles east of Cambridge.

Carson died at the scene, with no other vehicles or people involved.

The section of rural single-carriageway road is straight and has a 60mph speed limit.

Carson, of St Bartholomew’s Court, Riverside, Cambridge, had worked at Norwich City, Peterborough United and Cambridge United.

He was on bail at the time of his death.

An inquest is due to be opened and adjourned at Huntingdon Law Courts on Tuesday.