Oxfordshire man guilty of cyclist drink-driving death
A man who knocked down and killed a cyclist has been found guilty of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of alcohol.
The jury at Oxford Crown Court heard that Jonathan Ashworth, 55, of Shipton-on-Cherwell, Oxfordshire, had also taken cocaine hours before the crash.
Ashworth hit 18-year-old Tom Kahl near Thrupp in July 2010. He is to be sentenced in October.
Judge Christopher Compston said: "Rest assured, you will be facing prison."
The court heard that Mr Kahl had been cycling with no lights and was listening to his MP3 player.
Ashworth was driving a Range Rover borrowed from a neighbour.
He admitted causing death by driving while uninsured and causing death by driving while unlicensed, but had denied being guilty of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of alcohol.
After the verdict, Sgt Peter Jell said: "If he hadn't been drink-driving, if he hadn't been taking cocaine, then the consequences of what happened could have been so different.
"All through this we've never tried to hide that Tom is not blameless.
"He wasn't displaying lights on his bike and he'd been drinking, but despite that he was still there to be seen and had Mr Ashworth have been paying full attention, then this tragedy could have been avoided."
The jury's verdict was unanimous.