A JURY found a pensioner guilty of causing death by dangerous driving after they heard how he had been driving with his legs crossed.

Michael Stewart was driving with his left foot on the accelerator moments before the fatal crash, which claimed the life of his partner, who was the front seat passenger in his Vauxhall Astra.

The 77-year-old had described how he was unable to untangle his legs in time to slam on his brakes, and drove into the back of a lorry.

His partner, Linda Williams, died at the scene of the crash, which happened on the A338 near Breamore on the main Ringwood to Salisbury Road on April 29 last year.

Despite telling police at the scene that he had been driving with his legs the wrong way round, in subsequent interviews and in court Stewart said he had been misunderstood.

He told jurors that he meant he had been driving in that position, which he likened to “cruise control”, earlier that day and not at the time of the crash.

Stewart, from Hemel Hemstead, said he simply didn’t have time to react to the lorry braking, despite other motorists being able to do so.

However, jurors at Southampton Crown Court took less than three hours to convict him of the offence. He showed no emotion as the guilty verdict was read out.

Sentencing was adjourned until June 11.