Dangerous driver Paul Stewart killed Robert McPike
A man who caused a two-car crash during an overtaking manoeuvre has been convicted of causing the death of a father-of-four by dangerous driving.
Paul Stewart overtook a car on a blind bend on the B743 Prestwick to Strathaven road on 11 February 2012.
The 22-year-old's Renault Clio narrowly avoided hitting a bus but then spin out of control and hit a works van driven by Robert McPike.
The 52-year-old, from Tarbolton, later died in hospital.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that Stewart, from Mossblown, Ayr, was trapped in his car following the crash.
He was heard screaming: "I'm dying, I'm dying" and also: "Oh what have I done."
Eyewitness Lisanne Graham, a company director, who was driving in front of Stewart's car said she was intimidated by the way he was driving so close to her.
She added: "He shouldn't have taken the corner like that."
Advocate depute Bill McVicar, prosecuting, in his closing speech to the jury, said: "It was folly to take the blind corner on the wrong side and it amounts to dangerous driving."
Stewart denied causing death by dangerous driving and did not give evidence.
His defence counsel Gavin Anderson told the jury that the sporty Clio, which his client had bought four days earlier, had faulty brakes and a shock absorber and this may have contributed to the accident.
The court heard that Stewart, who worked at a recycling plant, was badly injured in the crash and had to undergo an operation on his leg.
Mr Anderson said that Stewart lost his job at the recycling plant which involved manual labour, as a result of the injuries he received in the crash.
Judge Norman Ritchie QC deferred sentence on first offender Stewart until later this month.
He told Stewart: "I am prepared to give you bail, but you are disqualified from this point from driving."