A driver who on Wednesday was found guilty of causing the death of three of his young passengers in an horrific smash has been warned that a prison sentence is "virtually inevitable".

Amjid Rehman, 24, of Sefton Place, Keighley, had been showing off to the others in the car before he lost control of his Suzuki Swift on Tarn Lane, in Keighley, known locally as the Yorkshire Bumps, in June last year

The week-long trial at Bradford Crown Court had been told that Rehman, who was delivering leaflets for a pizza takeaway, was travelling at around 60mph when he launched the car ten metres through the air over one of the small hills in the road.

When it landed one of the rear tyres deflated and Rehman lost control, sending the Swift into a fatal spin. It then clipped one tree before smashing into another and coming to rest on top of a dry-stone wall.

Three of the teenage passengers, Shahkall Rehman and Shabram Jabber, both 14, and 15-year-old Mohammed Azeem, none of whom were wearing seat belts, died in the collision.

After over seven-and-a-half hours of deliberation the six men and six women on the jury decided Rehman was responsible for the deaths and returned guilty verdicts on three counts of causing death by dangerous driving by a majority of 10-2.

Judge James Barry released Rehman on bail to await his sentence, but told him that he had been convicted of serious offences and warned him that a prison sentence was "virtually inevitable".

The trial had been told that Rehman had been showing off to the other passengers as they were driving around Braithwaite, before going on to Tarn Lane.

One witness, Amanda Bower, described Rehman's driving as "a bit mad" as he sped past her on a mini roundabout. She told the jury that one man was sitting on the front passenger window with his top half out of the window and another was hanging out of the driver's side window, meaning that Rehman was pushed up against the steering wheel.

She said that they were waving their hands around and "acting a bit silly."

Another witness, Oliver Harney, told the jury that he had to pull over to the side of the road as the Swift approached him on Tarn Lane. Mr Harney put Rehman's speed at around 65mph and said that he "was not surprised in the slightest" that the car had crashed.

Rehman, who survived the smash, along with two other men, told the court that he did not remember anything about the collision but claimed that his driving prior to the crash had been "nice and easy".

His barrister, David McGonigal, asked Judge Barry to adjourn sentence for a report but said that his client "was under no illusions about the seriousness of the offences".

The case was adjourned until next month and Judge Barry made an interim order banning Rehman from driving.