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A TEENAGE driver has been warned he faces jail for causing his friend's death in a horrific road smash.
Paul Brooks, 19, denied causing the death by dangerous driving of 17-year-old Brian Digby in November 1999.
At Bury St Edmunds Crown Court yesterday a jury took 50 minutes to find him guilty of the charge, after a four-day trial.
Judge John Devaux told Brooks he was adjourning the case until March 19 for pre-sentence reports in view of the his age. However, he warned Brooks it was difficult to see how anything but a custodial sentence would follow.
Earlier, Brooks, of Arrendene Close, Haverhill, denied losing control of his high-powered Ford Escort RS Turbo car on a bend because he was driving too fast. He could not explain why he lost control of the vehicle.
"I slowed down and came around the corner. The car fishtailed. It went one way and then the other. I braked and adjusted the steering and it straightened up," Brooks told the court.
"When I got to the straight around the corner, the back of the car came up beside me and strated going down the road sideways. It just would not respond. I knew there was nothing I could do because I was braking and it would not slow down properly."
The court heard the car left the A1434 at Depden and demolished a telegraph pole before bursting into flames in a field.
Brooks and front passenger Jacqueline Lloyd escaped, but Mr Digby died.
Ian True told the court he was flagged down and let Brooks and Miss Lloyd sit in his car. They were both in shock.
Brooks told Mr True he had not been going more than 60mph, but then Mr True heard him tell a paramedic not more than 50mph.
Experts estimated Brooks' speed at between 58 and 72 mph at the time of impact. But they disagreed about whether the vehicle's suspension springs had been lowered by heat treatment or damaged by the fire after the accident.
Stephen Dyble, prosecuting, said Brooks had played down his speed when interviewed by police. But Mr Dyble said there was no other possible explanation for why the car left the road.
After the hearing, Brian Digby's family said they were relieved by the verdict and felt after 16 months they could now grieve for him.
Mr Digby's sister Zoe said she hoped the case would prove a valuable lesson to other young drivers. "I just hope other young teenagers will learn their lesson from this. It is just not worth driving their sporty cars like this," she said.

PICTURE CAPTION: Crash victim... Brian Digby.