Hughes found guilty

Lee Hughes has been found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.

After deliberating their verdict on Monday, the jury at Coventry Crown Court found Hughes guilty of the charge.

Last week, Hughes had pleaded guilty to failing to stop after a road accident in which Douglas Graham was killed last November.

Hughes had also offered the same plea to a second offence of failing to report an accident but denied the charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

However, a jury took just 90 minutes to deliver their guilty verdict after Hughes' Mercedes sports coupe had hit the back of another car near his home.

He then fled the scene on foot before turning himself in to police 36 hours after the accident.

Following the announcement of the verdict, Judge Christopher Hodson ordered Hughes to be taken to the cells while there was a brief adjournment.

The trial at Coventry Crown Court lasted six days and the length of sentence meted out to Hughes could signal the end of his professional footballing career.

He was also given four-month concurrent sentences for the two charges to which he had pleaded guilty.

Judge Hodson commented on the sentencing: "I have to consider the level of culpability which is appropriate to reflect accurately your dangerous driving.

"After this accident you chose to run away from the scene and to stay away for what we understand to be nearly 34-hours.

"In running away you showed a callous disregard for others who were in the other car, one of whom was dead, another of whom was seriously injured and two others who were injured.

"I am quite certain that in running away you were thinking of yourself and you were attempting to avoid the legal consequences of driving having consumed alcohol.

"Alcohol, in my judgment, played a part in this tragic accident. It explains the reason why you were driving at an excessive speed and why you collided with the oncoming vehicle."

Premiership new boys West Brom have terminated Hughes' contract as a result of his conviction.