A Westmoreland man charged with 13 counts of manslaughter, following an accident in 1998, had his bail extended in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Forty-year-old Norman Beckford appeared before the court as a result of an accident along the Bog Walk gorge, in St Catherine, 11 years ago.

According to Sergeant Osbourne Fearon of the St Catherine North Traffic Department, Beckford was driving a Toyota Hiace minibus from St Ann towards Kingston, with 15 passengers on board. When he reached a section of the Bog Walk gorge, he attempted to overtake a line of traffic and lost control of the vehicle.

The bus plunged into the Rio Cobre, which resulted in the deaths of the 13 passengers.

Following the incident, Beckford fled to England where he spent 10 years. He was eventually held and deported.

He is being represented by attorney-at-law Jean Williams, who told the court that her client's conscience would not let him forget the accident and that's why he went to England.

He is to return to court on August 17.