A millionaire who was facing drug charges when he died in a high-speed crash has left a fortune to crimefighters.

Computer tycoon Christopher Dawes, 39, died when his £640,000 McLaren F1 sports car crashed into a tree at more than 100mph and exploded in Great Dunmow, near Braintree.

His friends Fiona Newton, 37, and Michael Lamb, 32, also died in the smash in March last year.

Australian-born Mr Dawes, who lived at Merks Hall, Great Dunmow, had been facing charges of possessing cocaine.

But he has left 90 per cent of his £7 million estate in Britain to the Police Foundation, Crime Concern and other crimebusting charities.

The rest will go to daughters Prudence, 5, and Ruby, 2. His estranged wife Angela, who lives in America, was cut out of the will.

The recipients of the cash said they would be carrying out checks before they accepted the money after an inquest into Mr Dawes's death heard how he had given his father a list of eight people who wanted to kill him.

A family lawyer also claimed the car crash might have been caused by a bomb.

Dr Barrie Irving, director of the Police Foundation - a charity which researches organised crime and published a controversial report on drugs - said: "There is a lot of gossip and innuendo surrounding Mr Dawes's life.

"We will have to take the advice of the Home Office and the police service before we know it is safe and proper for us to accept anything. But any money from any source is always appreciated."

Crime Concern said: "We understand a charitable trust has been set up to deal with potential beneficiaries, so we can't really comment until the money is signed and sealed."

The will, which was drawn up in October 1998, covers an estate of £7,594,662 in Britain. But his global wealth is estimated at £100 million after he started up his own Micromuse computer company.

Mr Dawes, who moved into Merks Hall months before his death, also owned luxury homes, a collection of fast cars, a helicopter and private jet.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.