A man will appear in court charged with causing a public nuisance following a crash which claimed the life of a Soham man on Christmas Eve last year.

Stacy Humphrys, 27, of West Meadows, in Ipswich, was charged with the offence on Tuesday and will appear at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, November 20.

The crash occurred when at least five horses were reported as being on the loose on the A14 at Sproughton, in Suffolk, on December 24, 2012.

Police were called to the scene at 10.20pm after four vehicles became involved in collisions with the horses.

One man, 23-year-old Thomas Allen, from Soham, was taken to Ipswich Hospital with life-threatening injuries and died the following day.

Paying tribute shortly after his death, Mr Allen’s family said: “Words cannot express the loss and devastation we are all feeling. Thomas was simply the perfect son.

“He was a kind, thoughtful, happy young man, with a wicked sense of humour. He was just thrilled with the purchase of his new car. Sadly driving this would result in his early death.

“He was liked and loved by everyone who met him. He worked at Booker Cash and Carry and had recently been promoted.

“Life was going really well when he tragically died. He was on the road to great things.

“He was adored by his young sister and all our lives will never be the same.”

Three of the horses, one of them a mare in foal, died at the scene.

The westbound stretch of the A14 was closed for more than 12 hours throughout Christmas Day while accident investigators tried to establish what had happened.