Former soccer coach dies before standing trial for sex abuse

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PETERBOROUGH, England (AP) — A former British youth soccer coach died in a car crash on the day he was due to go on trial accused of sexual abuse of boys under 16.

Michael "Kit" Carson had pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of indecent assault and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The 75-year-old Carson's trial was listed to start at a court in Peterborough, England, on Monday.

The court was told on Tuesday of his death in a single-vehicle crash, with Carson's car leaving a road and hitting a tree. The accident took place 15 minutes before he was due in court Monday.

The judge ruled that the case be closed.

Carson had worked at English clubs Norwich, Peterborough and Cambridge. Police said the allegations against him involved 11 victims, all boys under the age of 16, between 1978 and 2009.