A 25-year-old man faces a possible jail sentence after he was convicted of causing a crash which killed an Eastbourne woman.

Lewes Crown Court heard Stephen Newbury lost control of his Toyota Celica on a bend in Bexhill and smashed into an oncoming Renault.

The collision killed Carol Temmerman, 45, a classroom assistant from Lottbridge Drive, Eastbourne, who was a passenger in the Renault.

The court heard Newbury, of Ninfield Road, Bexhill, had been overtaking vehicles at speed on the A259 in Barnhorn Road to try to get away from another car he said was tailgating him.

His vehicle veered on to the opposite side of the road, smashing head-on into the Renault.

Newbury, who has no recollection of the crash, in which he broke his neck, denied causing death by dangerous driving but was convicted on a 10-2 majority verdict after a seven-day trial.

Daniel Priest, 55, of Parkgate, Battle, who was behind Newbury's car in a Mitsubishi Lancer, was cleared of dangerous driving.

But he was convicted of careless driving, and fined £1,000.

Newbury said his last memory before the fatal crash in January last year was ending a mobile phone call to his girlfriend because the other car was so close behind him.

He said: "When I first spoke to the police I could not recollect what happened. Since then I have tried to remember. Nothing new has come to mind.

"I am not someone who toodles along - I am aware of the capability of the car I am driving and I drive a great deal for work."

He told the jury he did not believe he was a dangerous driver, or had driven dangerously on the day in question.

Asked by defence barrister Peter Woodall if he knew what happened in the accident, he said: "No, I don't know."

Judge Charles Kemp adjourned sentencing Newbury for three weeks for reports.