A LORRY driver today faces a jail sentence for killing a pensioner by doing a U-turn in an A64 gap.

A jury at York Crown Court unanimously convicted Anthony Jackson of causing death by dangerous driving. He had denied the charge.

Judge David Bentley QC adjourned his case for a pre-sentence report, warning that he faced a jail term.

The 41-year-old of St Paul's Terrace, Holgate, York, had claimed he had fallen asleep at the wheel as he travelled between Copmanthorpe and the A1036 Tadcaster Road interchange on the southern ring road.

But the prosecution said he had been performing a U-turn at a farm access gap in the central reservation where the A1036 sliproad leaves the ring road.

Ronald Dakin, 74, of Lingholme Lane, Lebberston, Scarborough, died when his BMW car crashed into the side of the Mercedes Jackson was driving.

The pensioner's passenger, Lisa Thompson, 27, was also injured.

The jury heard that Mr Dakin was almost certainly travelling under the 70 mph speed limit and regularly used the A64. They also heard that Jackson had gone down the A1237 ring road heading for London, but a diversion forced him on to the A64 eastbound carriageway at the Copmanthorpe interchange.

Updated: 11:28 Saturday, January 05, 2002