A WOMAN who ploughed into the back of a recovery truck killing a roadside mechanic has been found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.

Prosecutors said there was no other explanation as to why Susan Lowe, 62, came off a dual carriageway at night and continued in a straight line along a verge for 50 metres and took no evasive action.

Terry Booth, 58, of Ferndown, who was trying to restart a Peugeot 306 which had broken down on the A31 at Poulner Hill near Ringwood, died of multiple injuries in the collision on June 12 last year.

Lowe’s defence said it was an accident, that she was blinded by the bright white lights of the recovery truck and other traffic, which caused her to panic and hit the accelerator pedal of her automatic Chrysler Voyager rather than the brake.

Having retired on Friday afternoon, after nealry five and a half hours of deliberations jurors at Southampton Crown Court were this afternoon told by Judge Christopher Leigh they could return a majority verdict.

Ten minutes later they returned to the court with ten out of the twelve jurors finding Lowe, of Gypsy Mead, Leeds, guilty of death by dangerous driving.

Judge Leigh adjourned sentencing for reports and gave Lowe an interim driving ban.

She was released on unconditional bail.

She will be sentenced next month.

Following the verdict, Mr Booth’s partner, who did not wish to be named, said in a statement read by police family liaison officer Sergeant Alyson West: “I am grateful to the jury for Terry’s sake for reaching this verdict today.

“I just want people to know Terry was such a genuine, lovely person who tragically died doing the job he loved which was helping people.”

In another statement Mr Booth’s mother Gwen, father Tom, brother David and niece Emma Proudley, said his death had changed their lives forever.

“There are no words, as a family, to describe who much terry’s tragic death has affected all our lives, especially in the eyes of Terry’s parents.

“The pain and the grief that this has caused them is unbearable in so many ways.

“They miss the daily contact with Terry greatly.

“Having lost two of their three children this has been a real shock to them both.

“The loss of Terry can never be replaced.”