A driver who caused the death of a High Wycombe teenager after knocking him off his moped has been told it is “virtually inevitable” that he will go to prison.

Sam Stephen Cripps, aged 20, was found guilty of causing the death by careless driving of Zaide Sandy at Aylesbury Crown Court this afternoon. He was found guilty by a majority jury of ten to two.

Cripps was found not guilty of a more serious charge – causing death by dangerous driving – by a majority jury of 11 to one.

Mr Sandy died aged 19 after he was knocked from his moped by Cripps, who was driving a Vauxhall Astra, on the A355 Amersham Road in Beaconsfield on May 5, 2019.

READ MORE: Teenager 'caused death' of High Wycombe moped driver in ‘deliberate’ crash

Family members of Mr Sandy who attended court were left distraught and furious after Cripps was only found guilty of the lesser charge.

Before releasing Cripps on bail, Judge Francis Sheridan warned him that when he returns to the court to be sentenced on April 19, he should expect to receive prison time.

He said: “This is careless driving falling not far short of dangerous driving and a custodial sentence is virtually inevitable.

“But I must be faithful to the jury’s verdict in this case.”

Following the trial, which lasted six days, the jury spent four hours and 45 minutes considering their verdicts.

READ MORE: Laughter heard on video minutes after High Wycombe teenager died in 'deliberate' crash

During the trial, prosecutor Alan Blake said that Cripps had “beef” with a group of teenagers from High Wycombe when the incident took place and stated that the crash was “deliberate”.

Although Cripps “knew of” Mr Sandy at the time, he did not know him personally, the court heard.

During the trial, Cripps claimed he had been “terrified” at the time of the crash and that he had “no choice” other than to make contact with Mr Sandy’s moped, claiming he had been “boxed in” by Mr Sandy on the moped and some of Mr Sandy’s friends in a car behind him.

However, a road traffic collision investigator who gave evidence in the trial stated that the car behind Mr Cripps was around 12 car lengths, or 40 metres, behind the driver.

Seconds before the collision, Mr Sandy overtook Cripps on his moped and the two vehicles were both seen swerving in the road, the car inches behind Mr Sandy’s vehicle.

The car made contact with the rear wheel of the moped, causing Mr Sandy to lose control and crash into the kerb – throwing him from the bike.

Mr Sandy died from the injuries he sustained in the crash.

The legal definition of 'careless driving' in the UK is when the standard of driving "falls below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver."

Meanwhile, dangerous driving is defined as when the standard of driving "falls far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver."

Giving evidence in the trial, Cripps told the court that the “felt sick” following the crash.

Sam Cripps has been found guilty of causing death by careless driving. He is next due to appear at Aylesbury Crown Court to be sentenced.

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