A DANGEROUS driver, who caused the death of a woman in a motorway crash, had been convicted of speeding by police just weeks earlier.

The Northern Echo can reveal that David Firbank was caught breaking the speed limit on the A1M, the same road on which Nichola Payne, from Darlington, was killed.

Firbank, of Pity Me, County Durham, was found guilty of dangerous driving by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday.

His Peugeot car had cut in front of Miss Payne's Vauxhall Corsa as he emerged on to the A1M at Washington.

She was forced to swerve to avoid a collision and lost control. The car hit a central reservation and overturned, smashing on to its roof.

Miss Payne, 28, a recruitment officer with mobile phone company Orange, was killed in the crash in September last year.

Colleagues Kerry Beacher and Lisa Matson, who were passengers, escaped with injuries.

Last night, a police spokes-man said that Firbank, a probation officer, had been convicted of speeding on the A1M on August 14, and fined.

He was bailed by Judge Gerard Harkins following Wednesday's court case after sentence was adjourned for reports.

The police spokesman said: "When the case was adjourned the judge was told that Firbank had previous for speeding. He has now asked the prosecution to prepare a full report on what was actually involved."

The case is due to come back to court before December 22.