Second death crash driver guilty

Mrs Green died and her husband lost both his legs in the crash

A 21-year-old motorist has been convicted of causing the death of a police officer in a road crash.

Anthony Antoniou had denied he was racing with a friend when 33-year-old Lorna Green was knocked off her motorbike.

But a jury decided after more than eight hours of discussions that he was guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.

The judge at Kingston Crown Court warned him he faced a long prison sentence.

Mrs Green, from Guildford in Surrey, was riding pillion when she was knocked off and killed.

He is obviously going to prison for a long time Judge Richard Haworth

Her husband Robert, a 36-year-old firefighter, lost both his legs in the crash after being trapped under the bike.

Gavin Delaney-McDermott, 22, who was driving the car which hit the couple's Suzuki motorbike, last week pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

The crash happened at about 2300 BST on 23 August last year in Mitcham, south London.

Family tears

Delaney-McDermott, from Streatham Vale, and Antoniou, of Green Lane, Norbury, south London, were both driving Volkswagen Golf GTi cars.

Witnesses said they were driving "bumper to bumper" at 80mph but Antoniou had denied they were racing.

When the verdict was delivered Mrs Green's brother cried "yes" and punched the air, while several members of Antoniou's family in the public gallery broke down in tears.

Judge Richard Haworth warned Antoniou, a mobile tyre fitter with a four-month-old baby, that he faced a lengthy jail term, saying to his QC: "He is obviously going to prison for a long time."

The case was adjourned until 21 October when both Antoniou and Delaney-McDermott will be sentenced.

Antoniou was remanded in custody.