A driver has been warned to expect jail after he left a cyclist brain damaged following a clash on the road.

Michael Gledhill, 23, of Bramble Bank, Holmfirth, was unanimously found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court of causing serious injury to John Radford by dangerous driving on July 31 last year.

Mr Radford, now 70, of Meltham, was a keen cyclist who was on his way home when Gledhill drove up behind him on the A616 between New Mill and Brockholes.

After Gledhill beeped his horn at the pensioner a witness described seeing the two of them exchanging words through the driver’s side window.

She described Mr Radford moving off and the car driver then “steer towards him.” She did not see contact but the cyclist fell into the road beside his blue Mercian bike.

He suffered severe injuries and brain damage from which the jury was told he may never recover.

Scientific examination later showed flakes of paint from the bumper of the Vauxhall Corsa driven at the time by Gledhill were in a spoke cap from the bike proving contact.

Gledhill, who at the time was about to leave the army as a Lance Corporal in the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, denied he had felt road rage.

He said he did not think he had made any contact and after parking up had returned to try and help the injured man.

Sentence was adjourned until November 25 after his counsel Nick Johnson asked for a pre-sentence report and the opportunity to put forward other material on his behalf.

Judge Christopher Batty agreed but warned Gledhill: “You have been convicted by the jury of a very serious offence.

“You know the consequences of your actions on that day and you will receive a custodial sentence but I think it is only right to give you an opportunity to present all the relevant material for me to consider when deciding on the length of that sentence.

“You will be disqualified as of today from holding or obtaining a driving licence. I shall make the final decision as to the length of the disqualification on the next occasion.”

After adjourning sentence he thanked the jury for the care they had given in the case. The verdict took three hours. Earlier he paid tribute to relatives of both men in the public gallery for the dignity they had shown during the trial.

Mr Radford, a representative of national cycling charity CTC, had been cycling for 55 years and even had his own workshop in his garage to make sure his bike was in the best condition.

He had been campaigning for better police investigation of collisions involving cyclists at the time he was hurt.

Family friend and CTC representative Clr Martyn Bolt said what happened should be a “salutary lesson” to others.

He added: “It has been an emotive case, with no one victorious, but justice has been done.

“The jury has decided that John was knocked off his bike and that he was not responsible for his injuries.

“All it takes is a few moments to cause the devastation of two families, John’s and Michael Gledhill’s, and this should be a salutary lesson.

“Your journey home isn’t worth risking someone else’s life. We should all take a deep breath and respect other road users.”