Andy Villa
08-09-2004, 11:11 PM
West Bromwich Albion striker Lee Hughes, 28, of Meriden, West Midlands, has been jailed for six years after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial at Coventry Crown Court.
Hughes ploughed his super-charged Mercedes-Benz sports coupe into another car near his home, killing a father-of-four who was travelling in the back, before fleeing the scene on foot.
The footballer bit his lip but showed no other signs of emotion when the verdict was delivered.
The jury took just 90 minutes to reach its decision.
Relatives of 56-year-old Mr Graham, who included his wife Maureen and two sons and daughters greeted the verdict with cries of "Yes!" and burst into tears.
The footballer's wife, Anna, sitting just two rows in front of them in the public gallery also wept.
Judge Christopher Hodson ordered the defendant to be taken to the cells before calling for a brief adjournment in the proceedings.
In a statement released after the verdict, 50-year-old Mrs Graham, who gave evidence against Hughes during the trial, described the impact the loss of her husband had had on the family.
"Something has been taken away from my family that can never be replaced," Mrs Graham said.
"We know that we must now simply attempt to come to terms with the loss. We can only hope that the person involved will acknowledge what he has done to my family. Nobody can understand the huge amount of grief and stress that has been caused to my family over the last nine months."
Hughes ploughed his super-charged Mercedes-Benz sports coupe into another car near his home, killing a father-of-four who was travelling in the back, before fleeing the scene on foot.
The footballer bit his lip but showed no other signs of emotion when the verdict was delivered.
The jury took just 90 minutes to reach its decision.
Relatives of 56-year-old Mr Graham, who included his wife Maureen and two sons and daughters greeted the verdict with cries of "Yes!" and burst into tears.
The footballer's wife, Anna, sitting just two rows in front of them in the public gallery also wept.
Judge Christopher Hodson ordered the defendant to be taken to the cells before calling for a brief adjournment in the proceedings.
In a statement released after the verdict, 50-year-old Mrs Graham, who gave evidence against Hughes during the trial, described the impact the loss of her husband had had on the family.
"Something has been taken away from my family that can never be replaced," Mrs Graham said.
"We know that we must now simply attempt to come to terms with the loss. We can only hope that the person involved will acknowledge what he has done to my family. Nobody can understand the huge amount of grief and stress that has been caused to my family over the last nine months."